The True Cost of This War
Jessica watched the little boy supervised by a dark haired man from across the street, her young son clinging to her fingers while trying to pick up the bug from the ground. That was Harry Potter, she knew. Tugging her son closer to her, she looked at the now man – she remembered when he was a baby, how everyone, her mother included, celebrated at the fall of Voldemort – and remembered all too well what this war against the Dark Lord had cost. Even this past reign – though short lived – had taken a toll on the Boy Who Lived. She saw the sadness as he looked at the little boy he babysat. He saw the painful knowledge in his eyes, knowing he knew exactly what the boy felt like, to have no parents to know. She continued to look at him, not noticing until he waved that he had looked up at her staring. She flushed and turned away. A woman came out of the house and sat on the porch next to him and he stood and crossed the street to her.
"Hello," he said as he approached. He knelt and looked at her son. "Like rollie pollies?" he asked. Her son looked up instantly at the address to him and hid behind her legs. She laughed, smiling at his sudden shyness.
"Sorry 'bout that. Normally he isn't so shy." Harry Potter looked up at her.
"Are you always so sad, though?" he asked, and she looked taken aback.
"What – what makes you say that?" she stuttered. He stood up, smiling.
"Whenever you look into my yard, you look like you are about to cry, as though terrified something bad will happen."
"You're Harry Potter. Is it bad to expect the worst to come to the neighborhood? I mean, you're famous. I half expect some dark wannabe to come and attack your house every night," she joked.
He laughed. "That's funny. No one's every made it a point to state the obvious fact that I attract trouble. Not even my wife." Jessica grinned.
"Oh, and they all think you can't lie to save a fly." Harry almost doubled over. "I am being serious. I highly doubt Ginny Weasley would let it slid that you are a troublemaker, through and through!"
"Caught red-mouthed," he said, eyes glittering.
"I'm not sad when I look in your yard, by the way." Harry looked at her, mirth slowly slipping from his eyes. "I just remember…" she said, "I just remember what was all lost. You may be the symbol of a new beginning, but, Harry, you also symbolize all that we have lost. Both the first and the second time." Harry looked solemnly at her.
"You know what happened, at the end of the first war?" she asked, so sudden that Harry barely blinked before she continued on. Barreling, really. "People were celebrating. Celebrating!" Her son let go of her hand to chase after their dog in the yard, but this went by, barely noted. "No one seemed to realize what happened that night. They had reason to celebrate, yes. But…for some reason, even though I was seven, I seemed to be the only one who saw that night for what it was. Harry, in return for the end of a reign of pure fear, two people were murdered. You became an orphan that night. And people didn't care. No one cared about the parents that were no longer there to take care of their baby. And with second one, no one seemed to recognize what it cost you still. Or everyone else for that matter. I lost my husband. Ted Lupin, that little boy in your yard! He lost his parents! Two of the most amazing people I have ever met! Your wife! She lost her brother. You! You…you lost everyone. Your parents, your mentors. Your friends. And yet every time, people smile. They act like it was…without a cost."
"But everyone loses something. We should be happy that it is over."
"Why should I be happy about a war ending when…because of that last battle, I lost my best friend? Don't get me wrong, I am happy this war is over. No one else will be hurt by it anymore. But…how can I be happy when so many other children don't get to grow up with what I had? Without parents, some in unloving homes now? Teddy may be lucky, but…some didn't get so lucky." With that, she turned around, picking up her son and shepherding the dog into the house, not looking back at the pained look on Harry Potter's face. Because he finally met someone who recognized the true cost of this war.