"Lost Generation" Ramblings

[Ebony Elizabeth Thomas]

No: HPFGUIDX 195

I've just finished reading the most recent installment of Blaise's 
latest fic.  The reason why I like her work is because she always 
makes me think.  Finishing it immediately after "Call of the Wild" 
earlier today, I began to feel incredibly sad.  

I quote WolfieTwins, whose version of Remus Lupin notes to himself 
that "their generation had been decimated by Voldemort".  Decimated.  
There's no other word for it.  Of the Marauders, there's one dead, 
one a traitor, one a fugitive (anyone else love that movie?), and one 
despised for what he is.  Despite our attempts to write alternate 
endings for their stories in poetry and prose, I'm not sure if the 3 
that are still alive will ever be able to resume normal life.

We've only been introduced to one particular clique of that 
generation but I am sure that they were not the only group thus 
affected.  We only can see through Harry's eyes most of the time--
somehow, I think he has been shielded from full knowledge of the 
massive damage that was done a decade and a half prior.  (Interesting 
theory:  the boomers in HP, thus "decimated" by the War are lesser in 
number than the other age brackets--a much different scenario than 
the one we're familiar with, in which anyone under 30 is made to feel 
as if they missed out on the Best Social Movements-Music-Television-
Movies-Ever.  Here's a Gen-X/Y response:  What-ever.)

Then I began to wonder if there is a connection of any sort between 
the Grindewald War and the First Voldemort War.  Does this parallel 
WWI and WWII in Muggle history?  We at least know the First Voldemort 
War involved all of Europe (i.e., Karkaroff as Death 
Eater=lieutenant).  Was this War truly worldwide, involving wizards 
and witches on every continent?  To quote Hagrid, "every child in 
(the wizarding) world knows Harry Potter's name."  (Hmm.  Harry=the 
Bomb?  OK, OK!  I'll stop drawing parallels.)

I'm interested in finding out more the psychological and social 
effects of war on a civilization/nation/culture in general, and this 
fictional one in particular.  I wonder if some of the things that 
we've taken for granted in Harry's world were only imposed after 
Voldemort left power.

Thanks for letting me ramble.  I'm one of those annoying people who 
just *has* to share if something's bothering me.  ;)  

Ebony AKA AngieJ