This chapter was completed a while ago but I had to find an appropriate name. I have not yet found a beta, please help. Thank you to Rageful Jewel for telling me the right year. If any one finds other errors please tell me and I will fix them. One deliberate mistake is that the fall of Grindelward occurred about six hundred years earlier. In other words, Flamel was born in the resulting baby boom and Grindelward is ancient history.

17th August 1985

Most people have an annual day of mourning. Many do not realise it. They just think they are unhappy or angry for no real reason or they believe it is because of current events. They do not realise that they feel bad every year on this day and if the feeling is random it must have a more current cause.

The real reason is, of course, that they are mourning a person or event that they believe they have put behind them. Some people do not even realise that there has been an event that has affected them so deeply. This is the case for most of the wizarding world. The effects of the fall of Grindelward have continued to be felt long past the time that the event was forgotten. Parents taught children that they should feel bad on this day; they hush them and rebuke them. The children feel the tension in their parents and responded becoming withdrawn and sad themselves. Eventually they became accustomed to the tradition of being quiet and withdrawn and hush and rebuke their children in turn. It became a cycle, based purely on subconscious instinct and therefore unlikely to ever be broken.

If I could, I would celebrate on this subconscious day of mourning. I would celebrate every day. Every person I have ever met who deserves to be mourned has been the type of person who celebrated life and wanted everyone who knew them to celebrate with them. It is fitting that we celebrate their memory rather then mar those memories with our grief. That was a lesson hard learned and one I doubt I will ever forget.

I knew most of the task force that heralded the end of Grindelward. I was part of their clique, though I stood on the edge and was not as close as the main core was. Despite the fact that I was almost a hanger-on and sycophant, our leader Deaglan came by my house the night before the big show-down.

"We have a new plan that I am almost certain will work."

He was almost abrupt when he said it. I remained silent; I could not understand why he was here telling me.

"We plan to make Albus our focus; it should be the safest place for him as I know we cannot keep him away."

I was intensely curious, I had not privy to any of the plans the task force conducted.

"It is good of you to care for Albus. He is still young inside."

"I know we spend little time with you Daemon. Our group was sadly established before we met you and we couldn't open for you. I am sorry about that. I know that I have no right to ask this of you, but I have seen you watch out for Albus and the rest of us may not be here to do that.

"You are right, Albus is young still. He will be older after tomorrow but he will still need guidance. If we don't make it, please look after him."

"But you will survive; I have not met anyone stronger then you and the others." I sounded plaintive; I couldn't picture life without the task force.

"I will of course do my best but Daemon, you must realise, this is war and in war people die. If I die, if any of the task force dies, I don't want you to mourn. You are too sad Daemon; it is your stumbling block. The circle celebrates life and that is what we want to be remembered for.

"What is the point of fighting for freedom when the people you freed are too depressed to enjoy their freedom? They simply exchange physical chains for emotional ones. Promise me Daemon, two things."

"What two things?"

"Promise me that you will care for Albus. That you will protect him and guide him for as long as you are able."

"I promise to look after Albus in whatever ways I am able to for as long as I am able to." I affirmed.

"Promise not to mourn for any one of us, whenever we die, whether it is today, tomorrow or two hundred years from now. Remember our lives and what we achieved. To the well organised mind, death is but the next great adventure."

"I cannot. I will not be able to stop myself from missing you."

"You can miss me; I am flattered that you feel you must. But there is a difference between missing me and Mourning me. If you are to help Albus you must help yourself. You must move on, past this time of your life.

"If we survive I will work harder to make you accepted and we can move on together but if I do not survive you must move past me. Please promise me Daemon. Promise me."

"I promise not to actively mourn you. I promise to celebrate your life."

"Thank you. Could you stay close to Albus tomorrow? The rest of us will not be near the battle and I would feel better if you were near Albus."

I felt a bit hurt that Deaglan was only concerned about Dumbledore but proud that he thought I could protect the boy. Of course Albus told me Deaglan wanted me to share the protection cast over him. Sometimes I doubt it but Deaglan had always been kind to me and since he trusted me to keep Albus physically safe he likely knew I was well capable to keep myself physically, if not emotionally safe.

Regardless of my conflicted emotions I added another promise to my night, promising to keep as close to Albus as I could without interfering. Satisfied Deaglan left and I never saw him or the others, except Albus as promised, again.

I mourned him, I told him I would not be able to prevent it, but I did not seek anger or grief and when I caught myself in the throes of deepest mourning I did as I said I would and thought of the times we were together, rejoicing in life and ignorant of death. I thought of my promises and how I must keep myself together in order to fulfill them, but those thoughts were not enough.