She picked up her beloved piece of cloth,
A strip of Daddy’s favorite old shirt.
He’d been gone since a few years after she was born,
And she was just beginning to feel how much it hurt.
Today was Daddy’s Day at school,
And she was almost excited to go.
She knew just what her Daddy did,
And she would let them all too know.
With her ribbon that wasn’t a ribbon,
Mallory tied up her raven hair.
Looking into the mirror,
Her emerald eyes returned her stare.
In her head echoed over the speech she had made,
About why her dear Daddy couldn’t be there.
Her mom had tried to convince her,
Not to attend school that day.
She had looked up at her mother and told her,
She knew exactly just what to say.
With her mother right behind her,
She walked determinedly up that path.
At the end of it awaited her,
An entire young wizarding class.
Calmly she sat with her hands in her lap,
As her classmates were called up one by one.
Talking about their fathers standing close by,
So far missing were there none.
Finally little Mallory,
Got called up in front of the audience.
What follows is her father’s story,
Through telling it she did not falter once.
Though she and her mother had hoped,
That kindness would ring true.
Both of their hopes were dashed,
Before Mallory’s first sentence was through.
One father muttered, “Another dead beat dad,
Who won’t give their kid the time of day,”
A young witch had the audacity to shout,
“Did your Daddy run away?”
Mal looked up and continued,
As if she hadn’t heard a word they’d said,
“My Daddy couldn’t be here,”
But if he had come I know what he would have said.”
“He would have said that he was proud,
Mommy says she is every day.
She says he still loves me very much,
And that he misses me in the worst way.”
“My Daddy was brave and daring,
and I know every kid says their dad is so.
But with my dad, it’s really true,
That’s why he had to go.
My Daddy loved my mommy very much,
And I’ll tell you how I know.
I’ve seen the pictures of them together,
Of my mommy and her beau.”
In the sea of parents sat a woman,
In tears but smiling just so.
She was very proud of her little girl,
Who proved stronger than anyone could know.
And so Mallory continued on,
About her outstanding Dad.
Many began to wonder,
If the miracle man was all in her head.
“I know he would love to be here,
but in my life he really couldn’t stay.
though I still feel him in my heart,
each and every day.
He would really love to be here,
But heaven is just to far away.”
“You see my dad, he died for freedom,
as many have before.
My wonderful dad was a hero,
A hero from the war.”
“We all have lost some one we loved,
a brother, a sister, a friend,
Though with each breath we take,
We feel them again.”
“My dad was a man of strong conviction,
he knew when things were right.
Dad never went looking for trouble,
But he knew when things were worth the fight.”
At this point, in the crowd,
Many besides her mother were in tears,
They were remembering the people they lost,
That terrible Second War had lasted for years.
The little girl stood in front of the mass,
Tears streaming down her small face,
Her voice though never quavered,
As she looked around the place.
She locked eyes with her mother, sad but happy too,
Then her Uncle Ron, and Aunt Hermione were the next to catch her soulful look.
There were many people around her, staring reverently at the girl,
She gazed around still, until her tears subsided and only slightly shook.
“My name you all know is Mallory,
and now you know too my daddy’s past.
Though from my description,
You probably didn’t guess Potter is my name, the last.”
A sharp intake of breath issued from the crowd,
And their respect for her grew.
This girl they had known for years,
They found they never really knew.
Weasley had always been her name,
They had never had a clue.
Though with jet black hair and green green eyes,
She looked like a Weasley through and through.
“I’ve heard my Daddy called many things,
A savior, a miracle, a wonderful man.
Though to me he is all those things,
But first and foremost he is Dad.”
“Everyone loved, everyone lost,
Their bravery is something that we won’t ignore.
With that sentiment I leave you,
Though I wish I could leave you with more.”
“My father was a great man,
a great husband, a great friend.
I’m glad to have him watching over me,
I’ll see him again in the end.”
She ran back to her mum, enveloping her in a hug,
The two held on to each other, letting the tears slip out.
As they sat together, they radiated the purest form of love,
For after all, pure love is what life is all about.