Prompt: Spectacular Speeches

[Prof. Sky Alton]

We’re all familiar with the words Albus Dumbledore chose to impart to the students during Harry’s first welcoming feast: Nitwit, oddment, blubber, tweak. This made for a very memorable speech and as it’s time for a new term, I think we ought to have some more.

Please write a story (200 words minimum) about someone giving or listening to an encouraging speech. It can be a teacher speaking to students, a monarch addressing their subjects or anything else you can think of. Keep in mind the HOL rules and avoid anything political. You’ll earn 20 beans for completing this prompt as well as it counting towards the chance to snag our shiny Quill and Ink award.

There is no deadline as such for these prompts but if you’d like it to count towards your chance of earning the award for a specific year, we’ll need it by the end of that school year. If you’re comfortable sharing, then post below. If not, email your story to us via hol.bookclub @ gmail.com (without the spaces). Oh and remember it’s a good idea to check through your piece carefully for spelling and grammatical errors as they make it harder for people to properly enjoy your work.

[Shiloh Adlar]

It was the end of the last day before the warlords took over our land. I stood in silent wait wondering how and what I would say to my people who hoped, prayed desperately for some sort of answer than the one I was about to give them. But what could I tell them except the truth? We had no way to defend ourselves any longer, not since the barrier had been destroyed at dawn. Were we doomed?

Andryesa's presence, the spirit raven, consumed within me in that moment, and I knew she would give me the courage, the strength to carry on and tell the people that they were to be brave and stand strong. So I stepped forward into the moonlight and watched the tired and frightened faces kneel their eyes before my form on the pedestal above them.

"Though you may fear, we will continue to walk forward. This is not the end but the beginning, the dawning of a new time. Whatever they take from us, we will deliver back to them ten-fold. We must bide our time and fight in the shadows until the light restores us once more. Do not let their tyranny frail your solid hearts. Our story will continue on, though it may be in generations to come, we will live. Stand together and in our unity, we will brave the challenge before us as a people, as one. Andryesa's wings guide us."

I watched as my people lifted their eyes to the sky and Andryesa appeared before them, blessing them with her love and guidance. Though we may fall now, we will return, stronger and more ready than ever. This I was sure.