Memorial ceremony for Eleazar Fig

Memorial ceremony for Eleazar Fig
Event information
Location	Great Hall, Hogwarts Castle, Scotland
Date(s)	1890–1891
Participant(s)	Phineas Nigellus Black Matilda Weasley Hogwarts students Hogwarts staff Hogwarts ghosts
Description	A memorial ceremony dedicated to Professor Eleazar Fig, following his death in the Battle for the final repository

"Well, I can say with confidence that if not for him, many of us – let alone Hogwarts – would not be here today."

— Matilda Weasley

The memorial ceremony for Eleazar Fig was held during the 1890–1891 school year of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The memorial feast was held following his death in the battle for the final repository after he had been grievously injured by debris caused by Ranrok's transformation into a dragon. He had lived just long enough to see Ranrok's death himself before collapsing from his injuries.

Headmaster Phineas Nigellus Black and Deputy Headmistress Matilda Weasley both gave eulogies within this memorial ceremony, honouring Eleazar's life, his dedication to his wife as well as to Hogwarts.

History

Background information

Concurrent to Ranrok's goblin rebellion, Eleazar tutored and mentored a Hogwarts student who possessed the rare ability to perceive and use ancient magic. Determined to hone this student's power, they embarked on a number of trials set by the Keepers to unlock the deeper mysteries of ancient magic as well as its storied history. The student individually discovered that Isidora Morganach, a Hogwarts professor from the 15th–16th century, also possessed the same ability, but had been using it to extract negative emotions from students. She stored this corrupted form of ancient magic in the final repository in the Keepers' Caverns beneath Hogwarts Castle: a giant storage unit made of goblin silver, constructed by Bragbor the Boastful.

Eleazar Fig and the student reaching the final repository

In the 1890s, Bragbor's descendant Ranrok was determined to re-acquire the Repository, for goblins believed that the creator of an item had a claim to it, not its purchaser. Meanwhile, Fig and his student were determined to stop him. This culminated in the battle for the final repository, where Fig, the student, and several Hogwarts professors fought Ranrok's Loyalists and several invading trolls. Ranrok reached the Repository first, and was able to harness the ancient magic contained therein and transformed into a near-invincible dragon. Eleazar Fig was crushed by the debris caused by Ranrok's transformation. Ranrok's dragon form was defeated by the student after a hard-pressed duel, which Fig lived long enough to witness before collapsing from his wounds.

Remembering Eleazar

"A famed adventurer and renowned seeker of knowledge, he built a reputation – charging into the unknown – brazenly disregarding both discretion and safety, providing perhaps a rather unfortunate lesson for us all. His devotion to adventure was rivalled only by his dedication to Hogwarts – and, of course, to his wife, Mari- MIRiam, whom we lost much too soon as well."

— Phineas Nigellus Black's somewhat flippant eulogy

The Enchanted Ceiling during the event

Eleazar Fig received a school-wide ceremony in the Great Hall, hosted by Phineas Nigellus Black, commemorating his life and achievements. Torn between his personal dislike for and newfound, grudging respect for his departed colleague for his heroic sacrifice in laying down his life to protect Hogwarts, however, his eulogy was somewhat awkward, having seemingly found it difficult to find the right words to honour somebody whom he had only ever treated as an inferior in life. Nevertheless shaken by the loss, however, as Professor Matilda Weasley approached to take over the speech to do Fig proper justice, the Headmaster had very nearly lost his composure, and seemed relieved to have the Deputy Headmistress there to offer a far more heart-warming eulogy on Eleazar's life than he was capable of giving himself. After Professor Weasley made a stirring speech about how the best way Hogwarts could honour her late co-worker was by "wisely, resourcefully, justly, and bravely facing all that lies ahead", Professor Black, who had regained some of his usual prim manner, nodded in agreement and ended the assembly by leading the students and staff in a toast for the late professor.

Appearances

• Hogwarts Legacy (First appearance)