A/N: Based on the proverb at the end of the fic. It's only a little bitty weird thing, but I'm prevaricating from French homework, so :D
Standard disclaimer applies, obviously. I hope you like it.
Actions, no matter how small and seemingly insignificant, have consequences. That's what everyone says, isn't it? And it's true.
Maybe, just maybe, if Harry had accepted that Draco Malfoy was just posturing because his feelings were hurt that one day on the train, had just given him the benefit of the doubt, had shook his offered hand – well, maybe they could have become friends.
For the want of a handshake a friend was lost.
And, perhaps, if Harry and Draco had become friends on that train ride, perhaps Harry could have seen that Slytherin wasn't so bad and wouldn't have fought so strongly against it. And so perhaps Harry could have come under the instruction of Severus Snape, who could then have seen past the confident front that Harry offered up and seen the scared little boy instead, and then, well. Perhaps he could have become Harry's mentor, a true mentor who wouldn't have sacrificed his happiness and safety for the greater good.
For the want of a friend a mentor was lost.
And one could tentatively suggest that if Severus had become Harry's mentor, he would have ensured that Harry's training was adequate when Voldemort returned. Tentatively, one could even say that Harry wouldn't have died in that first fateful battle.
For the want of a mentor a hero was lost.
And, conceivably, if Harry hadn't died, the people of the Wizarding World wouldn't have lost their hope.
For the want of a hero a hope was lost.
And perchance if there had been hope, it surely wouldn't be beyond the realms of possibility to suggest that Voldemort could have been defeated.
For the want of a hope the world was lost.
For want of a nail the shoe was lost.
For want of a shoe the horse was lost.
For want of a horse the rider was lost.
For want of a rider the battle was lost.
For want of a battle the kingdom was lost.
And all for the want of a horseshoe nail.
A/N: Ehhhhh. Nothing like a good proverb, hey? :D