This is an introduction to a story I am highly unlikely to ever write. It is also intended as a thematic companion to "A Moment of Decision".
It's probably worth noting that part of the narrator's reason for writing is to persuade his audience of his viewpoint. They're prioritising having an impact on that audience over scrupulous honesty or even the appearance thereof, despite not believing they have any need to deceive.
IIII
The besetting sin of the Wizarding World is indifference. We are not interested in those who are not poor and powerless. We don't care what happens to the non-humans, to the non-magical, to those inclined to the dark. We see a world painted in primary colours and only care for the brightness.
Most of us are proud to the point of feeling contempt for all things other than witches and wizards.
More than a few are indolent enough to drain their magic rather than do a little physical work and to let others think for them.
Most are greedy, for wealth or power or fame or glory. (I was a Slytherin, so I should know.)
I have seen all these things, but the one flaw in our society that has always done the most harm is indifference.
Not a popular view, with the Dark Lord only recently vanquished, but I could paint a tale of indifference that would chill the blood. It was indifference to his plight that first inclined the man to cruelty and indifference to his deeds that let him perform them.
Do you truly think the Ministry wouldn't have prevented his first rise if he had targeted Purebloods rather than Mudbloods?
Do you truly believe all the 'civilian casualties' of battles between Aurors and the Ministry were unavoidable? More than half of those muggles the Aurors were 'forced to put down due to unreasonable violent assault upon Ministry forces' were children.
Do you truly believe the 'Dark creatures' that joined Voldemort did so because they were evil, not because they were persecuted?
But I won't tell you that story, for it is there for anyone to see who can read between the lines of careful lies in the history books.
I will tell you a story you'll never read in any book, because I am the only one who knows it and I am not handsome and not ugly, not heroic and not pathetic, not good and not evil.
I will tell of a boy who tried so desperately for friendship with those he admired that he came to the point of despair and gave up without ever realising that he already had it. Of two boys, both noble and cruel, who grew up to love and die for the same woman. Of a boy who could murder without remorse and would die for a friend without hesitation. Of a boy who did not do evil, but did not try to prevent it. And of a boy who was a monster, not because he occasionally tried to kill and eat people, but because he valued being accepted over doing the right thing.
This is the tale of the Marauders... and their victims.