Warning : Bad Grammar, Un-Beta-ed, English not my native

Disclaimer : Not Mine

Interlude : The Old Soldier and the Boy Who Lived

The first time they meet was in the playground. The Old Soldier saw the Boy and couldn't help but curious about the boy. He had the same haunted eyes like him when he came back from the war. His shoulder slump, like carrying the weight of the world. He sits on the bench beside the Boy and look at the children playing on the playground. He could feel the Boy steal a glance at him, assessing him. The Old Soldier couldn't help but feel sadden by that. He gave him the warm grandfatherly smile toward the Boy and he hesitantly smile back. They stay silent for a few minute before the Old Soldier start to talk. He talks various topics, sometime he asks the Boy and the boy tentatively answers back. It take time, but the Old Soldier can see the Boy slowly relax and enjoying their little talk. They talk until the Boy politely excuses himself. The Old Soldier nodded but not before he extracts the promise from the boy to come back. As he watches the Boy walk away, he saw something at the Boy back pocket. Something he sees from a long time ago, his eyes widened when he realise where that Boy belong to.

A wizard.

Their second meeting still in the playground, but this time the Old Soldier came prepare. His daughter without much question had prepared him some food. When the Boy arrives, he could see the hesitation, wary and curious behind those haunted eyes. The Old Soldier merely patted the bench asking the Boy to join him. The Boy nodded and sits beside him. He then offer the foods which the Boy accept it politely (he can see how hungry the boy is and curses the boy good for nothing guardians) they make the small talk before the Old Soldier start to talk about himself. He start by tell him where his grow up slowly ease into the beginning of the war. The Old Soldier could see the Boy look at him, paying more attention as the story getting more and more darker. He told the Boy how he joins the Army, meeting his brother in arms, the one who he left in the field, the one who come back but never whole, the one who fallen because of him. Everything, he told the boy everything. He then looks at the haunted eyes, smile before lean forward and hug the Boy. He could feel the Boy tense and tried to pull him apart, but he keeps hugging him.

The Old Soldier can hear the wall around the Boy slowly breaking as he keeps talking. He talk about the pain, guilt and uselessness he feel when he back when his friend aren't. The Boy shoulder started shaking and not before, the tears came but the Old Soldier keep holding the Boy. Let him cries as long as he need, the Old Soldier feel it overdue anyway.

That's how his daughter found him. Holding the Boy while the Boy ends up sleeping after crying his heart out.

After that, they always meet at the playground, the Boy feel a little be embarrassed by his meltdown, the Old Soldier only snort at him and demand the Boy to come to meet him at the same time, same place every day. The Boy only nodded his head.

They didn't only chat, the Old Soldier know, there's a war brewing in the Boy world. Being in the front line of the wars, you see everything including the wand waving people. He even manage make friend with few of their kind. He also know while they (muggle) fighting Hitler, the wizard are fighting Grindelwald. While they are powerful, those wizards are very bad at hand to hand combat. So he teaching the Boy how to fight, the Old Soldier will train the Boy until the Boy beyond exhausted. At least the Boy will sleep peacefully at night too tired to dream.

The Old Soldier told the Boy a week later about his secret. He laughs so hard at the boy expression.

After the secret was out, the Boy tells him about his world. The death of his friend, how there's no respond from the Ministry, how none of his friend even replied or tells him anything. The Old Soldier could hear the bitterness in the Boy voice. Slowly he replied each of the Boy questions logically. He can only shake his head, when the Boy remembers that one of his friends is Muggleborn. He gently told the Boy just because he had magic that doesn't mean he should forget the Muggle world. The Old Soldier smugly remind the Boy to call his friend before he go back home. The Boy sheepishly nodded and thanks him.

The next time they meet, the Boy had bruise at his cheek but a little bit happier. He manages to make a call to his Muggleborn friend and chat. The Old Soldier congrats him and then ask him to continue his work out. While the Boy concentrate in the work out, the Old Soldier take out his phone and ask his son ( a DI at the Yard) to have a small nice talk with the Boy guardians. It's pity that he couldn't see their face.

Sometimes, the Boy will bring the newspaper from his world for him to read. He could only shake his head at the length the so called Ministry could go to deny their enemy existence. He then explains to the Boy why the Ministry do that and teach him a little bit about the politic and how to gather the information technique. Somehow, the lesson then continue with how to make a coded massage and how the break it. The Old Soldier can't help but feel proud at the Boy, when he soak up his entire lesson like a sponge.

He celebrates it with a chocolate cake and the way the Boy face shone with happiness, he knew he make a right choice.

The Old Soldier knows something bad happens when instead the Boy, someone else appear. A tall, dark skin imposing man, he introduces himself as Kingsley. He only nodded and the man continue and trying to feed him some fake story about the Boy. The Old Soldier only snorts and told the man a few colourful choice of word and demands him to tell truth. The man seems hesitates at first before the Old Soldier told him that he know who he is, who the boy is and he know the boy grandfather on both sides. It takes him a few days, but those eyes are achingly same as his old Captain Evan. That boy surname and that messy hairdo, just as same as Charlus the man who save him from Death doorstep. The man agrees and tells him truth. The Old Soldier listens and at the end nod and say thank you at the man before he get up from the bench and walk away.

But not before the Old Soldier tell the man that if something happen to the Boy, there will be a consequence.

They still communicate with each other even after the Boy went back to his boarding school. The Old Soldier couldn't help but awe the first time he saw a beautiful white snow owl that perch on his balcony. Once or twice a week they will exchange the letters. In coded word of course. The Old Soldier feels proud when the Boy utilizes all his teaching against the Ministry.

He isn't idiot, he knows the boy didn't tell him half the story but that's okay. The Old Soldier understood.

Unfortunately, while the future had been different the moment the Old Soldier and the Boy meet, Death remains the fixed point. What happens will be happen no matter how the future changes.

"SIRIUS NO!"

The Battle…

The Veils…

The Loss…

The Truth…

And once again the Old Soldier holding the Boy gently, but this time only the silent tear trails down the Boy face.

10 second whispers the Old Soldier, and then you have to stand up. Be strong Soldier order the Old Soldier stern but gentle.

I will, whisper the Boy… no, the soon to be Soldier said.

A/N : A little peeking into the past... Yes, there's is a plot. Soon...