It's awful and may come across as pretentious, it wasn't intended to be when I wrote it. Please let me know what you think.
He's got a heart that never fully mended, despite all the love it had and gave. He's got a wife that still wakes screaming for the brother that will never wake. He's got nightmares that he never could get over, he still wakes remembering that night. He's got a best mate that can't sleep without his wife within his sights remembering her screams ringing through another's house. He's got a godson he couldn't love more but every time he sees him his broken heart breaks just a little bit more because he'll never know his brave, contrasting parents.
He still remembers the man who tore their lives apart, still remembers the man who took his parents and so, so many more. People he's had the chance to know, to care for in more than the abstract. Still remembers how close that man came to winning, to breaking him and those around him, to taking control. He remembers his love of pain, and his hate of love, his indifference to all creatures that weren't a part of him.
He still sees the fear in the eyes of his generation and the last, still reaches for his wand before answering the door and never ever leaves it in the living room. You never know who might be there.
He remembers how hard it was to trust, and knows he'll never truly trust a stranger again. Those who fought are friends and always will be, but those that weren't there can't be.
Others, few in number, recovered, learnt to trust again, fell in love with those they hadn't fought alongside and found their innocence again in others. Though they never forgot or left their friends. Others went mad, retreating into shells and never emerged again, those broke his heart, as he lost those he thought had survived.
He thinks he fears and hates the vultures most now, those circling newsies and gossipers seeking to find the 'true scandal' behind his family's 'façade'. He hates them because he can't fight them and they drive the families apart, and threaten friendships that survived the worst of times and he can't see why they would or how they dare threaten what little they've salvaged when they've already lost and given so much. Surely his family's happiness is not too much to ask?
He feels the weight of the world crushing him all too often and the past and his ghosts threaten to consume them all. Then there's a knock, or a crash or a cascade of giggles and suddenly they remember what they fought for and as he sees his children's smiling faces, James hiding behind Albus while Lily watches giggling, a broken ornament on the floor and knows that this makes it worth it. James, Albus and Lily, the next generation, whose names remember the one before last, whose names commemorate those lost because this is what they died fighting for. When James Potter went to the door without his wand it was because he trusted his friends and he and Lily died fighting for that trust to be safe again. When Albus Dumbledore fell from the roof to save a young boys soul, he died in the hope such a sacrifice need never be made again. When Severus Snape changed sides he fought so no one need be separated by blood again. When Luna Lovegood fought and survived she fought so innocence might live on and she found hers again in Rolf Scammander. When Sirius ran into battle he fought so no innocent would be so hated again. So he remembers they all fought for friendship, trust, innocence and the right to grow old in peace whatever your blood or birthright. Lily, Albus, James prove to him that they succeeded as Lysander and Lorcan do to Luna and Rose and Hugo do to Hermione and Ron.
They fought so their children could grow up slowly and they succeeded so they'll deal with the memories and the loss because their children are carefree and that means the world's safe.