The Wisdom to Know the Difference
God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
The courage to change the things I can,
And the wisdom to know the difference
Wow! My reviews practically doubled in one night! I will have my long author's note at the end, and I also have a few things to explain, about where the story is going. This chapter is going to be the hardest yet for me, because it is almost pure emotions on every side. I hope I don't mess it up horribly...
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These words finally got a reaction out of Mrs. Weasley. She put her arms around him and rocked, as Harry burst into huge, wracking sobs as his body shook. His response was much the same as it was in the hospital wing that night. To have someone put their arms around him, comfort him as though a mother would broke down the last resolve Harry had of not crying. Mrs. Weasley murmured soft, comforting words until at last Harry calmed down. The rest of the family looked on, not wanting to leave, as they were afraid that it would show that they were abandoning Harry, and not wanting to stay because they thought Harry might not ever forgive them if they saw him cry. Torn between the two choices, most of they looked away. Ron, however, stepped forward, and put a hand on Harry's shoulder. He started and stopped saying something before he finally got it out,
"Harry...Harry, I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry, Harry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry..." Ron was now the one crying, tears streaming silently down his face as he repeatedly apologized for the hurt, the pain, the grief, the torture, everything that Harry had gone through. He wasn't just sorry that Cedric died and Harry had to see it, he was sorry that Harry had been tortured, that Harry had to see his long-dead parents, that Harry's parents had died in the first place, that Harry had been forced into this tournament, and Ron hadn't believed him. He was sorry that Harry had a miserable life and never complained, acted like a normal kid when he deserved so much more. He was sorry that he had kept Peter Pettigrew as his pet for so long, and he was sorry that he couldn't have been there for his friend.
Now, it was Harry who was comforting Ron, Harry who was soothing him.
"It's okay Ron. It's okay. You couldn't have helped. You didn't fail me, you have never failed me. Ron," he said, looking at Ron firmly in the eye, "it is okay." With those words Ron wondered what he ever did to deserve a friend like Harry. Someone gave him food when he was hungry, someone who forgave him when he did something unforgivable, someone who helped him heal when he himself was wounded. Someone who comforted him when he himself was so torn up on the inside. Harry, who gave his twin brothers a thousand galleons, and only asked one thing: that his best friend might have some nice dress robes. Ron couldn't have asked for a better friend.
While Ron was crying and apologizing to him, Harry was wondering what he did to deserve a friend like Ron. Ron was the first true friend Harry had ever had. He had been kind to him was he was realistically nothing more than a Muggle. He had ignored the scar and learned about the boy behind it. He stuck to Harry no matter what happened, and forgave when he said things he shouldn't. Ron, who, even when they were ignoring each other, come down into the Common Room to check on Harry who wasn't yet in bed. Harry couldn't have asked for a better friend.
"You know," Harry said, looking up at the people still around his bed, "I blamed myself for what happened to Cedric. I still do, a little. I could have changed so many things that night, if only I had known..." Surprisingly, it was George, who spoke up at this,
"Harry, there are some things you can change, There are also things you can't. You could not have changed what happened to Cedric. You had no way of knowing. There are always things we can change, as there always are things we can't. The hard part if knowing the difference." At this, Fred started to speak, very softly,
"There's an old Muggle prayer, you know. I hear it once, and I never forgot it-
'God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
The courage to change the things I can,
And the wisdom to know the difference.'
"Harry, mate, Merlin knows you got courage. You need to learn how to accept the things you will never be able to change. As for the wisdom part, most people never learn that. Me and George, for example," he added, grinning, "but I reckon you are a little closer than a lot of other people." Ron and Mrs. Weasley looked at the twins, stunned that they not only knew a *prayer*, but at the depth of what they had just said. It was then that they realized the mistake they had made in thinking that the boys were pranksters and nothing more. Through the simple and yet so large act of comforting a friend, Fred and George Weasley earned quite a bit of respect.
After they had spoken, Harry nodded to himself.
"Yeah," he said, "you guys are right." He looked up at the twins grinning. The old Harry of a year before came shining through. "And please, don't give me a reason to say that again." The room burst into laughter, and this time it was not strained. It was a release of tension, and a realization that things had just changed for the better. "Why don't we all go to sleep, then?" Harry asked, for weariness was beginning to show in everyone's eyes again. There were several murmurs of agreement, and slowly, the room emptied. Mrs. Weasley lingered, her arm on Harry's shoulder. She looked into his eyes, and saw then everything she needed to know.
Harry was hurting. But it was getting better. It would be unfair of them to expect that Harry would be fine just because he told everyone what had happened. It is human to take time to heal. Just like the wound on his arm, the scars from that night would not be washed away with a magic healing potion, no matter how much they wished it would happen. It's amazing how much you can tell about a person by looking into their eyes, she thought as she padded down the hall into her room. They really are the windows to the soul.
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Ron lay awake, reflecting on the enormity of what Harry had just done. It must have taken nerves of steel to re-live what had happened to him, and he did it in front of a veritable audience. Ron knew that in Harry's eyes, when he told someone something personal about himself, that he ran the risk of more whispers and points behind his back. Harry despised his celebrity status, although now the wizarding public was more and more fearing him. Ron was sometimes jealous of all the attention Harry got, but that was just because it meant he got pushed to one side. He would never want to be in Harry's place. No matter how much he was ignored, he always had it better than Harry. Ron knew that he had a family that loved him, and had a home where he was welcome to come to at Christmas. Harry didn't even have that. From now on, Ron vowed silently, he would try to make up for it.
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Ick. I don't like it. I don't like it at all. Sorry for the butchering of emotions, folks. I just don't know what to say. I'll just move on to my thank-yous...please, review! I have 18 so far...let's take it up a notch.
A big hug and kiss (if you're comfortable with that) for those who did review-
Whether Rose- I am very flattered! Wow, sneaking away to read my fic...you're so nice. I know I have been updating fast, but the chapters aren't that long.
Jelsemium- Thanks! I love writing Weasley-Harry interaction! I know, I know my chapters are short...*runs away and hides* but in Word they are like four pages long! I am not used to the conversion yet. Sorry!
JaimeyKay- well, here's the deal with Hermione- I have no idea what to do with her! I don't know when she should come in, and if Harry should go through the whole re-telling things again so soon. Plus...er...well, I am not a true Hermione fan. *ack! sorry! I just can't warm up to her! Balizabeth runs away, ducking from rotten food being thrown at her*. I am trying to keep this realistic, so she'll be around if I can manage it. Thank you!
MoonyWolf- speechless is a good thing, right? Hahaha, you are too nice. I am glad it fits in with what you pictured. You know what they sat, great mind think alike...so, how do I fit into that?
Underneath Society- wow! I just don't know what to say...er- thanks?
Patrick- thank you!
Allright, I stayed up a bit too late partying last night, so I am going to go rest. Review, please! Love ya!
Balizabeth
God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
The courage to change the things I can,
And the wisdom to know the difference
Wow! My reviews practically doubled in one night! I will have my long author's note at the end, and I also have a few things to explain, about where the story is going. This chapter is going to be the hardest yet for me, because it is almost pure emotions on every side. I hope I don't mess it up horribly...
************************************************************************
These words finally got a reaction out of Mrs. Weasley. She put her arms around him and rocked, as Harry burst into huge, wracking sobs as his body shook. His response was much the same as it was in the hospital wing that night. To have someone put their arms around him, comfort him as though a mother would broke down the last resolve Harry had of not crying. Mrs. Weasley murmured soft, comforting words until at last Harry calmed down. The rest of the family looked on, not wanting to leave, as they were afraid that it would show that they were abandoning Harry, and not wanting to stay because they thought Harry might not ever forgive them if they saw him cry. Torn between the two choices, most of they looked away. Ron, however, stepped forward, and put a hand on Harry's shoulder. He started and stopped saying something before he finally got it out,
"Harry...Harry, I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry, Harry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry..." Ron was now the one crying, tears streaming silently down his face as he repeatedly apologized for the hurt, the pain, the grief, the torture, everything that Harry had gone through. He wasn't just sorry that Cedric died and Harry had to see it, he was sorry that Harry had been tortured, that Harry had to see his long-dead parents, that Harry's parents had died in the first place, that Harry had been forced into this tournament, and Ron hadn't believed him. He was sorry that Harry had a miserable life and never complained, acted like a normal kid when he deserved so much more. He was sorry that he had kept Peter Pettigrew as his pet for so long, and he was sorry that he couldn't have been there for his friend.
Now, it was Harry who was comforting Ron, Harry who was soothing him.
"It's okay Ron. It's okay. You couldn't have helped. You didn't fail me, you have never failed me. Ron," he said, looking at Ron firmly in the eye, "it is okay." With those words Ron wondered what he ever did to deserve a friend like Harry. Someone gave him food when he was hungry, someone who forgave him when he did something unforgivable, someone who helped him heal when he himself was wounded. Someone who comforted him when he himself was so torn up on the inside. Harry, who gave his twin brothers a thousand galleons, and only asked one thing: that his best friend might have some nice dress robes. Ron couldn't have asked for a better friend.
While Ron was crying and apologizing to him, Harry was wondering what he did to deserve a friend like Ron. Ron was the first true friend Harry had ever had. He had been kind to him was he was realistically nothing more than a Muggle. He had ignored the scar and learned about the boy behind it. He stuck to Harry no matter what happened, and forgave when he said things he shouldn't. Ron, who, even when they were ignoring each other, come down into the Common Room to check on Harry who wasn't yet in bed. Harry couldn't have asked for a better friend.
"You know," Harry said, looking up at the people still around his bed, "I blamed myself for what happened to Cedric. I still do, a little. I could have changed so many things that night, if only I had known..." Surprisingly, it was George, who spoke up at this,
"Harry, there are some things you can change, There are also things you can't. You could not have changed what happened to Cedric. You had no way of knowing. There are always things we can change, as there always are things we can't. The hard part if knowing the difference." At this, Fred started to speak, very softly,
"There's an old Muggle prayer, you know. I hear it once, and I never forgot it-
'God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
The courage to change the things I can,
And the wisdom to know the difference.'
"Harry, mate, Merlin knows you got courage. You need to learn how to accept the things you will never be able to change. As for the wisdom part, most people never learn that. Me and George, for example," he added, grinning, "but I reckon you are a little closer than a lot of other people." Ron and Mrs. Weasley looked at the twins, stunned that they not only knew a *prayer*, but at the depth of what they had just said. It was then that they realized the mistake they had made in thinking that the boys were pranksters and nothing more. Through the simple and yet so large act of comforting a friend, Fred and George Weasley earned quite a bit of respect.
After they had spoken, Harry nodded to himself.
"Yeah," he said, "you guys are right." He looked up at the twins grinning. The old Harry of a year before came shining through. "And please, don't give me a reason to say that again." The room burst into laughter, and this time it was not strained. It was a release of tension, and a realization that things had just changed for the better. "Why don't we all go to sleep, then?" Harry asked, for weariness was beginning to show in everyone's eyes again. There were several murmurs of agreement, and slowly, the room emptied. Mrs. Weasley lingered, her arm on Harry's shoulder. She looked into his eyes, and saw then everything she needed to know.
Harry was hurting. But it was getting better. It would be unfair of them to expect that Harry would be fine just because he told everyone what had happened. It is human to take time to heal. Just like the wound on his arm, the scars from that night would not be washed away with a magic healing potion, no matter how much they wished it would happen. It's amazing how much you can tell about a person by looking into their eyes, she thought as she padded down the hall into her room. They really are the windows to the soul.
**************************************************************************************
Ron lay awake, reflecting on the enormity of what Harry had just done. It must have taken nerves of steel to re-live what had happened to him, and he did it in front of a veritable audience. Ron knew that in Harry's eyes, when he told someone something personal about himself, that he ran the risk of more whispers and points behind his back. Harry despised his celebrity status, although now the wizarding public was more and more fearing him. Ron was sometimes jealous of all the attention Harry got, but that was just because it meant he got pushed to one side. He would never want to be in Harry's place. No matter how much he was ignored, he always had it better than Harry. Ron knew that he had a family that loved him, and had a home where he was welcome to come to at Christmas. Harry didn't even have that. From now on, Ron vowed silently, he would try to make up for it.
***********************************************************************************
Ick. I don't like it. I don't like it at all. Sorry for the butchering of emotions, folks. I just don't know what to say. I'll just move on to my thank-yous...please, review! I have 18 so far...let's take it up a notch.
A big hug and kiss (if you're comfortable with that) for those who did review-
Whether Rose- I am very flattered! Wow, sneaking away to read my fic...you're so nice. I know I have been updating fast, but the chapters aren't that long.
Jelsemium- Thanks! I love writing Weasley-Harry interaction! I know, I know my chapters are short...*runs away and hides* but in Word they are like four pages long! I am not used to the conversion yet. Sorry!
JaimeyKay- well, here's the deal with Hermione- I have no idea what to do with her! I don't know when she should come in, and if Harry should go through the whole re-telling things again so soon. Plus...er...well, I am not a true Hermione fan. *ack! sorry! I just can't warm up to her! Balizabeth runs away, ducking from rotten food being thrown at her*. I am trying to keep this realistic, so she'll be around if I can manage it. Thank you!
MoonyWolf- speechless is a good thing, right? Hahaha, you are too nice. I am glad it fits in with what you pictured. You know what they sat, great mind think alike...so, how do I fit into that?
Underneath Society- wow! I just don't know what to say...er- thanks?
Patrick- thank you!
Allright, I stayed up a bit too late partying last night, so I am going to go rest. Review, please! Love ya!
Balizabeth