Friday, April 18, 2008 1o:00 am Remembering Day Project Roster // All History Students [P + 5]   Joshua Harcroft // G4 [P + 15] Olivia Foley // H4 [P + 15]  Gabriella Dagon // G4 [P + 10] Waker Nolan // R6 [P - 10]  Gavin Snark // S6 [P - 10]  Devlin Matthews // R6 [P + 10] Faelyn Bancroft // R4 [P + 10] Michael Jaymez // G6 [P + 10] Arielle Snark // G4 [P + 10] Miles Faraday // H6 [P + 10] Lola Ingberg // H6 [P + 10] Jordyn Dimbleby // S4

o.O.o

Dear Students, At the beginning of the week in your respective History of Magic classes, you were assigned by Professor Greyfriar to research an aspect of Remembering Day.  It was announced that they would be due today on April 18, and be presented in a double-session of History of Magic.  Older students might want to take a stand on why the Battle of Hogwarts started where it did.  Or perhaps they chose to share their opinion on the meaning of Remembering Day.  Perhaps a younger student might re-enact a famous speech given at past Remembering Days.  Have fun, stay in character, and interact with one another.

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The History of Magic classroom was a tiered high-ceiling room, with rows of benches and desks curving around the room.  Windows from high in the wall sent shafts of light down into the perpetually dusty chamber.  Enormous blackboards were charmed to erase themselves.  At the front of room was what looked to have been an old pulpit, huge and wooden, a castle almost in itself with many steps.

The Headmaster, who had taught History of Magic this year, rarely used this imposing lecturn, but it did have a way of making him heard.

Today the classroom was almost full.  He had about 1/3 of the students at Hogwarts here, section one of a double-session of History composed of students from all Houses and years.  They were to be presenting the research they'd done this week on Remembering Day, and by relation, the Battle of Hogwarts of 1998.  They'd had all week to come up with something to share.  Knox always enjoyed this project very much because it gave him a chance to see what this day meant for the students, most of them who were just little kids when the Battle Happened.  But it was these students who'd be living in a post Voldemort world and their relationship with Remembering Day would be significant.

Now, the Headmaster was on the pulpit, smiling at the three dozen students gathered as the bell tower tolled the hour.

"Find your seats, bottoms on benches," he said, his voice ringing out in the room.  "Wands away, sleepy eyes awake.  You'll be fed and happy in just two short hours.  How quickly they will go by if you're all enraptured in one another's scholarship.   Who dares be the first and set the tone this morning?

"What is it they say about pulling off leeches? Who are the slow, painful peelers among us?  And who among us tears that sucker off quick and gets on with their day?"

He climbed down out of the pulpil, down the little ladder, down its steps.  He strolled down the dais, then along the front of the first row of desks.  Most eyes avoided his, like slippery kelpie pups.  He cocked and turned his head, hoping for a pair of eyes that would be so bold.

Waker's face, more or less a blank canvas while in 'school mode', seemed to fall a fraction when she recalled the day's subject. She had spent time that morning going over her long-completed homework the nth time, but it still had not sunk in until now. Remembering Day was undoubtedly a very important celebration in Wizarding Culture, one that Waker had been keen to learn about when she was twelve and had first experienced it, but the fact that she had been alive for the Battle of Hogwarts without even knowing that magic wasn't simply some muggle fairytale made Waker feel slightly queasy. Even the most pureblooded of her peers had no upper hand when it came to the Goblin Rebellions or the passing of the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy; none of them had existed in the 1600's, and, like Waker, had the library's bountiful resources and the professor's lectures to guide them. But for those students who grew up in the Wizarding World, who lived through the Battle, and who had perhaps even lost friends or loved ones to Voldemort and his followers, Remembering Day was bound to be an entirely different experience. The girl could not help wondering whether she might have marks taken for her decidedly dull presentation.

After a surreptitious sweep of the room, the girl rested her eyes on the professor, forcing herself not to evade him. She perfunctorily raised an arm and paused before speaking. In situations like this, it was best to go first, to get it done with, and to let the posterior responses wash hers away.

"Remembering Day, inaugurated the second of May, 1999, precisely one year after Voldemort was defeated by Harry Potter." The very tiniest tinge of red came to Waker's cheeks. She could not help sounding like someone reciting an encyclopedia. Usually, it did her justice. A wealth of facts made her sound well informed, sometimes even inherently wise. Today it sounded flat. The girl breathed inaudibly and raised her shoulders before continuing, this time with more vindication for a point she had not yet made. "I was only seven when the Battle of Hogwarts took place, and at the time, I didn't even know what Hogwarts was," she admitted. Oh, god, what was she doing? Today, confessing that she didn't know everything. Tomorrow? Perhaps dropping out to work on the Knight Bus for the rest of her life. Waker Nolan: Bus Fare Collector. "But..." Here she paused, choosing her words carefully. She was uncharacteristically winging it; the paper in front of her, which she had memorized to the last inky black period, was long abandoned. Unthinkable. "If it hadn't been for people like Mr. Potter and the Minister Shacklebolt, I might have never seen my first wand, or Quidditch match, or... History of Magic textbook." Though she managed to keep her voice calm, the Ravenclaw now had a certain rigidity about her. She looked directly at the Headmaster and gave a curt nod of respect. Talking about her muggle roots was not shameful, but talking about her life in general was something she simply avoided in the classroom. School was about school.

"Remembering Day supports the fundamental notion that lineage does not define a person," she continued, surprising herself. "The most ironic part of Voldemort's reign was that if ancestry and blood held as much importance as he claimed, then a man like Lord Voldemort, who was fathered by a muggle, would likely have been persecuted under the moral code of his own rule." And a girl like Waker might be doomed to bland A-level exams and handing out sweets to sobbing, slobbery children awaiting their post-vaccination rewards at the children's clinic where her parents worked. She relaxed her hands on the desk before her, finally getting into the pattern of debate. If she treated it like any other historical argument, it was actually rather easy. "Remembering Day does what Voldemort could not. It endures. It unites people, all types of people, and keeps them together. They mourn, but they also communicate and hope. Voldemort seems not to have been capable of those things, at least not long-term." Sound familiar? "Conversely, Remembering Day is already unfading." Sentimental. And corny. Waker pressed her heel into the flooring so that she wouldn't melt into her desk. She could only hope her classmates hadn't enough sleep the night before. Why had she not stuck exactly to her paper?

Josh was sitting in the audience, listening with rapt attention, though he wasn't looking as good as usual. He always looked like this around Remembering Day, as every year, it reminded him that his Aunt Scirenia had died in the battle.He remembered his terror as he waited for news. He hadn't even bothered trying to get any sleep that night, he was too worried that one of his parents would get killed, after the events of the day before, when Snatchers attacked the Manor. He had a permanent reminder of the night Snatchers attacked, as he had a small scar on his knee from where he had fallen on  a fragment of a Snatcher's wand.

Josh had been almost lost in thought, realising this, he quickly re-focused his attention.


"Remembering Day does what Voldemort could not. It endures. It unites people, all types of people, and keeps them together. They mourn, but they also communicate and hope. Voldemort seems not to have been capable of those things, at least not long-term."

That was so right, Nolan probably didn't know how right she was. Raising his hand, he asked a question. " Nolan, doesn't Remembering Day also function to remind people of what happens when people choose to assume something terrible hasn't happened rather than at least investigate?" Josh asked.

For most lessons, Gabriella Dagon would turn up promptly, her homework fully prepared and her presentation impeccable. But a lesson about remembering day was not a normal lesson. It was one that she had dreaded each year since she’d come to Hogwarts. It was a lesson that reminded her just how much she’d lost at the tiny age of 5. It was a lesson that reminded her how cruel reality and the world could be.

Therefore, arriving a couple of minutes late, Gabby slipped into the classroom while Harcroft was talking. She bowed her head and made her way for a seat near the back. Maybe that way she wouldn’t be noticed. The last thing Gabby wanted was to have to get up and talk today. And why did they have to have this lesson so early? The big day wasn’t for another week or so. Why couldn’t she ignore it until then?

Gabby hadn’t been rude. She’d made a muttered apology to the headmaster as she’d shuffled past. She did however sit down as soon as possible and started fiddling about with her wand. Her classmates still didn’t know about her Battle of Hogwarts loss and she wasn’t about to broadcast it. Yes, keep a low profile. If Greyfriar asked, at least she had something small prepared in her bag. She thought.

Knox's eyebrows raised as Waker Nolan was the first to go.  She was a very consistent student, if perhaps she left her personality out of things.  But today, the young witch went off script.  The Headmaster beamed with pride at her insight, nodding as she seemed to speak from a place of opinion and feeling, rather than studied analysis of another dead wizard's work.

The Professor clapped politely with the rest of the class.  Joshua Harcroft asked a question immediately.

"Good question, Josh.  I open to floor to a response from anyone.  Is Josh right? How does Remembering Day caution against Cornelius Fudge's denial of Voldemort's return?  Are we reminded to remember not only the great battle, but are we reminded to remember other things as well?" 

As Knox Greyfriar was posing these questions to the class, he saw Gabriella Dagon settling in.  He paid her no mind.  Her dour demeaner reminded the old Headmaster that Remembering Day had very different meanings for different students, and he had to realize that some of the students had little cause to celebrate.  He hoped the look he offered her was reassuring.  But he hoped she'd brought her presentation.  He felt the input form students like Dagon who'd truly lost something was very important for their peers to hear.

Remembering Day held mix emotions for Faelyn. She didn't remember the battle of Hogwarts being only five and running free in the Irish countryside. It was during that time that her family kept to themselves and didn't preform much, instead living off her father's money. As she grew older the day had more meaning to her, especially after her father told her about him thinking that she was this prophetic figure like Harry Potter himself.

Faelyn can recall every minute detail about the lesson her father gave her on Remembering Day 2001. She had been fussy and wasn't working on her lessons. Her father towered over her as he said "Child. One day you'll be stopping evil and save the world like Mr. Potter. You will prevent the need of another day like this, now read the next chapter."

Those words had a powerful affect of Faelyn then and today. She didn't want to be the next Harry Potter. Not really. She was to afraid of disappointing people, besides she wasn't anything like the great Mr. Potter. She was just a plain Irish Lass far from home in school where she still felt like she didn't belong.

Faelyn hadn't been sure what to do her presentation on and then it hit her one night in the commonroom. A book of poetry had been knocked off a table and onto her foot. Faelyn frowned as she picked up the offending item. Once she read the title she knew it was fate. Here was a brilliant idea. She could incorporate history into a lyrical poem and play to her artistic strengths.  It would be different but it would still be a report. The Professor didn't say she couldn't read and write a poem.

So Faelyn wrote her poem and memorized it for class and on the day of the presentation she sat in the second row in the center of the room like always. Her unruly curls were braided with purple ribbon showing brightly against her reddish brown hair.  Purple is a royal color and all those who died in order for her to go to school were Kings and Queens in her eye.

Fae listened to Waker Nolan's speech, it wasn't bad. Very heart felt and a tirffle daring. There were some people at the school who cared about blood line.  Then the discussion began. Fae hoped they wouldn't question her poem. She would hate to explain why she chose one word over another. Faelyn remained silent as Harcroft asked a question and the headmaster opened the floor of discussion.

"How does Remembering Day caution against Cornelius Fudge's denial of Voldemort's return?  Are we reminded to remember not only the great battle, but are we reminded to remember other things as well?"

Gabby frowned. Should she say something? It wasn’t like her to stay quiet, well, except for around this time. She glanced around the class and saw that no-one else looked like they were going to say anything so she sat up a little straighter, watching the headmaster who’d just given her a somewhat reassuring look.

It was obvious that Dagon wasn’t about to get away with saying nothing for the entire lesson. She knew Greyfriar probably wouldn’t allow this so it was probably better to just get it over with.

“Different people are forced to remember different things. Most people probably remember elation because Voldemort was killed. Others are forced to continually mourn the people they’ve lost, which definitely isn’t healthy. Remembering day can make some people jealous. They think about what they’ve lost while everyone else sees it as a day when everything changed for the better. For a lot of people, things changed for the worse that day and these people are never allowed to forget this with the constant, unrelenting reminder that is remembering day.” She paused for a minute, glancing down at the table. “And sure, the bad example Fudge set for us can provide a learning curve, but it doesn’t matter what bad decisions he made, people still ignore problems that are right in front of their nose.”

There, perhaps that was enough in the way of ‘presentation’.

Nothing came out of the stupid Remembering Day that Gavin was forced to participate every year. Remembering, Gavin did not want to remember. He didn't care who won or lost, either way it didn't make a difference to him but people made it some holiday every year. Of course he wanted Voldemort’s faced smashed into the ground but it was for others reasons.

As a matter of fact, Gavin hated the day, he hated everything that came with it but there was one thing he couldn't deny. That many wizards and witches sacrificed themselves to fight for something they believed in. In truth -- Gavin was very proud and had a lot of respect for every one of them but he kept denying this for he lost his only parents left, his father. Did anyone every think about just taking a muggle gun and shouting Voldemort in the face? Idiots!

Why was it so different from any other stupid day Gavin was forced to live? Gavin had no presentation at all like he was asked, just like every other year. And just like every other year Gavin sat in the back corner rubbing his head with his fingers. The only presentation Gavin had was his experience and he wasn't going to tell unless he was asked.

Maybe if no one noticed him he wouldn't have to speak at all and if they did it would sure show some color in the argument. He wasn’t one to back down on something he believed in so strongly. Whatever Gavin hated or experienced pain, he would forget it all together. It pained him so much and by forgetting what had happened he never faced his fears. So how was he ever going to get rid of them?

“Different people are forced to remember different things. Most people probably remember elation because Voldemort was killed. Others are forced to continually mourn the people they’ve lost, which definitely isn’t healthy. Remembering day can make some people jealous. They think about what they’ve lost while everyone else sees it as a day when everything changed for the better. For a lot of people, things changed for the worse that day and these people are never allowed to forget this with the constant, unrelenting reminder that is remembering day.”

He cringed; this girl had no idea what she was talking about. After rubbing his temples once more -- to control his anger, Gavin picked up his bag and looked around for the book he was reading an hour ago in the common room. If it wasn't for everyone encouraging for him to go to try and listen to other sides of the story Gavin would've skipped the class. 

Ollie was tired; her body was feeling the effects of what was coming soon. It was terrible being tired before and after the full moon. When in class her focus was not exactly there, Ollie didn’t particularly see the point in learning since there was no job she could do that needed a strong academic background. Ollie had accepted this fate long ago, she was a werewolf and in turn it meant she was going to find it difficult making her mark in the real world. Maybe that was why she was thinking about dropping a few of the more academic heavy classes once her owls were over the following year.

Her head was down on the desk her arms serving as a make shift pillow. She was listening but only with her ears and not her eyes. Ollie’s mane of hair was falling over her shoulders and onto the desk her head rested upon. How wished she could just curl up in bed. The full moon was two days away and she was feeling the ache of it already. It was like her body knew the horrific change it would go through soon.

“Different people are forced to remember different things. Most people probably remember elation because Voldemort was killed. Others are forced to continually mourn the people they’ve lost, which definitely isn’t healthy. Remembering day can make some people jealous. They think about what they’ve lost while everyone else sees it as a day when everything changed for the better. For a lot of people, things changed for the worse that day and these people are never allowed to forget this with the constant, unrelenting reminder that is remembering day.” She paused for a minute, glancing down at the table. “And sure, the bad example Fudge set for us can provide a learning curve, but it doesn’t matter what bad decisions he made, people still ignore problems that are right in front of their nose.”

Ollie finally sat up at this and looked around. She shook her head. “I don’t think Remembering day is made to make people jealous or upset. Remembering day is to remember those who fought for the life we have now. All our lives would have been changed if Voldemort had taken over.” Ollie knew for sure her life would have been different, who knows what he would have done with the werewolves. Maybe he would have tried to enslave them? Treat them like dirt? Ollie wasn’t going to bring that up though. “We are remembering those people that passed, showing respect for what they did. Yes people lost family, but you know that happens every day not just on that particular day. I think people would feel even worse if they lost someone in vain and now Voldemort was around running the show.” Ollie looked around at the faces before slouching back into her chair and starting to twirl some hair around her finger.

People didn’t have a remembering day for her mother. Sure Ollie didn’t remember her mother but she lost her on a day with no connection to Voldemort and this day of Remembering. “I just think things could have been a heck of a lot worse.” Ollie mumbled quietly and looked at her paper on her desk picking up her quill and doodling. Maybe none of it made sense, she was rather tired so people someone find her statement stupid but Ollie didn’t care, she had her opinion and was not afraid to give it.

Knox listened thoughtfully from his desk, his hand on his beard.  Students tended to be so closed-off these days, he'd been so pleased to hear Waker take that Ultimate in Teenage Risk and share part of her true heart.  And then as well when Gabie Dagon offered her thoughts and Olivia's counter-arguement.  Hogwarts was in a fine state when the kids could disagree without having to draw wands. 

"Miss Dagon, Miss Foley, I thank you.  I think you're hitting square on the mark that Remembering Day is many things for many people.  It's equal parts Memorial and Festival, both bittersweet and sour.  But the one unifying factor that draws so many together here in furthest Scotland is the idea that - "

Professor Greyfriar furrowed his brow.  Was Gavin Snark reading a book?  "Mr. Snark!  Key in.  It's time for you to present."  It was not a suggestion.

It has always been Knox's hope as a teacher that a classroom filled with independently governing minds would not need his correction and they could have a light open forum.  But not all of his students were interested in that kind of freedom, and so the History Professor had to facilitator order and participation for them. 

"Come on. Get down here. Let's see what you've got."

"Mr. Snark!  Key in.  It's time for you to present."

Slamming the book shut, Gavin rolled his eyes. Was this really necessary? He did respect his Headmaster, because he was a very wise person but he didn't like Remembering Day but it was probably the Headmaster's idea to get both sides of the story. In fact, Gavin had no story at all.

Clearing his throat quietly to himself, not for attention but to try to get passed the lump in his throat, he started to speak. “Remembering Day is something that I don't like remembering...” he hesitated for a moment. “I have heard from someone -- I don't remember who, but I think people were saying how it was selfish to be upset for losing people. I disagree. I'm defiantly not selfish; I just have a different view on things." Was that a good presentation? He wasn't sure but now Gavin was starting to get into one of those rants like he always did when he started remembering.

“Believe me, I respect and honor everyone who had fought. The survivors and dead but you have to understand it in all perspectives. Of course you would not want to ‘remember’, as they say, what would probably have to be the worst day of a child's life. I became an orphan that day and I would never want to remember it.”

Knox nodded gravely, trying to understand the Snark boy's angst about this whole ordeal.  But the boy was intelligent, and he seemed to persist in not making any attempt to meet expectations, let alone exceed them.  He just sat there in his chair and grouched out what could have been the very insightful beginnings to an actual project.

The Headmaster furrowed his brow and crossed his arms.  "Very introspective, Mr. Snark.  Really.  But you'll forgive my confusion if that didn't look to me like your Remembering Day Project."

Looking out over the room, Professor Greyfriar noted a distinct lack of visual aides sitting under desks, and only a scant smattering of tightly rolled essays.  In the past, Knox had seen some really very involved projects.  And a good deal of them had nothing to do with the unfortunately deaths of the Battle of Hogwarts, but with a wide variety of topics!  There had been a clever fourth year who had made some very astute comparisons and contrasts of Remembering Day to Guy Fawkes day (she had been muggleborn).  Another student one year had brought in the star charts for the day of the Battle and had discussed their constellations and their affect on the outcome.  Perhaps the lazy, languid breezes of spring were soaking his student's minds in warmth and summer prematurely.

"Either come down here and present properly or you'll get a Troll for the assignment. You've had a week, my young witches and wizards. "

Ollie snapped out of her daze and realized that she had her assignment and since nobody was getting up to present she might as well go about it now. Ollie slipped out of her seat and scratched her head making the mess of her hair even messier. “Well I suppose I shall present now.” Ollie decided she would just go to the front of the class and shuffled her way down to the front. She was center stage and all eyes were on her. Ollie played with her tie nervously with her right hand as her left held the report she had written.

“Okay my project is a bit different than others, I am not about to spout of facts on Remembrance Day as I am sure you can all look it up in a book. Remembrance day means something different to everyone, as seen in that discussion that we had there. I decided to go get the opinions of a class of people that do not get much recognition.” Ollie found interviewing fellow werewolves easy as she occasionally ran into them during her check ups and felt like she could ask them questions about this sort of thing.

“I am not sure if many of you know that during the battle of Hogwarts a werewolf died fighting along side of those who followed Dumbledore and Potter. I didn’t know of him until I asked around. I interviewed some people who are affected by lycanthropy. Many of these people are judged purely on the fact that they are affected and turn into a werewolf during a full moon.” Ollie paused taking a deep breath hoping her voice wasn’t giving her away, what if people thought she was one?

“I asked what remembering day meant to them. My survey results are in my report with particulars,” she held up the report she held in her hand. “The general consensus from those I spoke with felt that remembrance day was a way to honour those who fell that day. It also was a reminder to them that things for them could be worse than they were now. If it were not for the people like Potter to put a stop to Voldemort’s  plan many of these men and women felt they might have been used for horrible things, enlisted to be a part of Voldemort’s ranks or even enslaved.” Ollie felt a lump form in her throat. “Many felt that their lives would be worse off than they are now, sure they are not socially accepted in other words ostracized, but they wouldn’t want to be slaves or treated even worse than they are now.” Ollie rubbed the back of her neck nervously. “Remembrance day marks for them a time things could have changed for the worst and many are gad that it didn’t.”

Biting her lip she looked around at the faces. “Of course some feel that things would have changed for the better for there situation, but everyone has their own opinion on the matter.” Ollie felt that things were looking up for the werewolves these days but there was no saying how things could have changed. “Remembrance Day means a lot more to people than others realize. A few of the older ones I spoke to say that they like to remember their friend Remus Lupin.” Ollie took a deep breath.

“Well that is my presentation.” Ollie said with a grin and handed over her assignment to Professor Greyfair before hopping off back to her seat. “Oh yes do you have any questions?” She asked standing beside her desk playing with the wood top.

Faelyn was getting antsy as the presentations seemed to drag on and on because of side discussions and conversations.  As more and more people presented Faelyn was a little self conscious about her project. She didn't draw a cute picture, or write an essay. She had to go out and be creative and write a silly poem.  If the older students laughed at her or worse commented about her prose she was afraid that she might actually tear up. It was perfectly all right to preform in front of strangers but just a bit more unnerving in front of her classmates. There was little chance she would see a stranger again and more than not she would run into everyone in the room at least twice a month, once if she went out of her way to avoid them.

Faelyn figeited in her seat as Ollie gave her presentation and asked for questions. When several minutes of ear shattering silence penetrated the classroom Faelyn spoke up.

"I'll go next." She said as she popped out of her seat, poem in hand and faced the room. Taking a deep breath the fourth year settled her nerves by telling her self this was just like preforming with her family. They were just off stage urging her forward. Faelyn cleared her thoart and read her poem, her eyes meeting the  Headmaster's and other students for several seconds before moving on.

" Remember, A poem by Faelyn Bancroft

some try to forget.
Others try to pretend that it had never been.
Yet still others boldly exclaim their remembrance
of the day when the world nearly ended.

Utter darkness was pushed back,
as wand after wand fired spell after spell
till the trap was laid
and the prophesy that brought about the end of terror was fulfilled and forever remembered. " Faelyn paused for several beats letting the words of her poem hang in the air before explaining her project.

" My close family never fought in the Battle of Hogwarts but we were affected by the terror going on. The snatchers didn't care that my family was performers we were also hunted.  This day while it falls on the battle of Hogwarts is for every one who died or was harmed by the affects of evil." She said before sitting down, not looking at anyone.

Michael had wanted to be one of the last to go.. in hopes that his time in front of everyone would be cut short.  He didn't like public speaking so much.  He saw the professor looking his way so he stood up to take his turn.  He noted that his already short speech would not be cut short as there was plenty of time left.  Coughing to clear his throat he began.

"I am a muggleborn wizard, being such I had never heard of "Remembering Day" until I was a First year here.  The Muggle world doesn't celebrate the Holiday, and as such I didn't really know much about what had happened until i arrived here.  I do remembering my father commenting on the strange happenings, somthing about a newly built bridge collapsing, my Uncle had had somthing to do with the investigation of that occurance you see.  You Professor tasked us with researching the Battle of Hogwarts or some of the more famous speeches that occured on this day.  I chose to research why the final battle took place at Hogwart's.  I had a difficult time finding any books, it seems  that most everyone else beat me to the library."  He said the last part with a smile on his face.

"But I was able to borrow some very interesting reads on the subject.  I conclude that the Battle took place here because this school was the most important place for both Harry Potter, and Tom Riddle.  It is a sentiment that I feel as well.  The school was special for Voldemort because it was the place that proved that he was special, it was where he had become a wizard, and it was important to Harry Potter because it was the first place he had felt at home, from what I've gathered from other sources his muggle family was never very accepting of him being a wizard, I guess I am lucky that mine are.  The school was also the final battleground because of the Horcrux that Voldemort had hidden here.  Let us hope that Hogwarts is never used as a battleground again though, a school should be a place of safety, not war."

Michael sat back down and hoped that he had done well, he had only been able to acquire any books on the battle a few before, and none of them had been very complete on the battle.