WARNING: This is a slash story, which means it contains male/male erotic content involving consenting adults. If you're not of legal age or are offended by such material, please go find something else to read.

Author: Acassha
Rating: PG? Dark, mentions of slash
Pairing: technically, Snape/Lupin. However, it can be any pairing, because I wanted to concentrate on feeling of loss, rather than relationship. Does that make sense or am I sounding like an idiot?
Summary: thoughts on war.
Disclaimer: I'm not JKR. No, really
Notes: It's Severus talking, and is set after a war has been 'won' - or has it? words in ( ) that are centered are from war poetry, the words in [ ] aren't.
There is a list at the bottom of the poems they are from.
Thanks to Eline for the beta, and to Elena, who said you can't use poetry in fanfic ^_~

None of us could say we weren't expecting it. Not even Fudge, pompous fool that he was.

What we were never prepared for was the sheer scale of it all. The massive casualties.

What can you say about those who died? That they were brave, honourable, noble, willing to risk all for the common good?

[gryffindor, ravenclaw, hufflepuff]

We are told that their sacrifices shall not be forgotten.

Liars.

The next generation will not understand what we went through. Oh, they can imagine they can, but they never shall.

And for those who are left, we are told "we will remember"

We have lost much. We sent all our hopes out, and now there is none left for us.

Each of us has lost. In the end, no-one has won.

[to the victor goes the spoils]

[slytherin]

Be safe, we said, as though such words will act as a talisman, that they will stop the worst.

"Be safe" I whispered, prayed.

You did not return to me

Will I act the mourner, the lover with no love? Will I visit your grave with flowers?

Will I forget what we had, and visit only out of respect?

[fear]

[terror]

[I will follow]

[rush blindly on]

[Hardacre, S.B., Peters, K.D, Griffiths, T; Faulks, K.H; Pease, A.P.; Pease, H.H;...Lupin, R.J...]

[slytherin]

[snake]

What will happen? Can I go back, teach in the knowledge you are gone?

I did before.

Will I tell the children who have lost all that things will get better?

Shall I lie?

And, then perhaps there is another option, another choice. Go somewhere where I shall not be regarded with suspicion.

[snake]

[it is with our deepest regrets, condolences]

Somewhere where, maybe, the sky is always blue, and you are by my side.

[option A, option B]