If Only

“Men are physically stronger than women so they can take abuse-”

“I bet he enjoyed it-“

“Male rape is less common so it doesn’t matter-”

“You’re not a true feminist if you address male problems too-“

“They’re men. They’ll get over it-“

Here’s to the houses. To the lion’s roar and the eagle’s cry. To badgers and serpents. Here’s to gold and red, to yellow and black. Here’s to blue and bronze, to green and silver. Here’s to the Quidditch games and rivalries. The hourglasses and the founders. Here’s to Gryffindor and Slytherin. Here’s to Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw.

Here’s to the items. To the letters carried by owls and the necklace that turned back time. To miniature dragons and golden balls with wings, to a hat that can sing. Here’s to the photographs that move and the potion that makes you lucky. To self-correcting quills and screaming plants. To golden coins and self-scrubbing dishes. Here’s to Butterbeer and the Daily Prophet. To Bertie Bott’s and Firebolts.

Here’s to the people. To the boys who died too young: the wolf, the stag, the rat, the dog. To the woman with hair that changed colors. Here’s to the twins, the herbology teacher, and the house elf with a love for socks. Here’s to the professor who could turn into a cat. Here’s to the potion’s teacher who was corrupted by love and the ghost who lived in the bathroom. Here’s to the boy who lost his toad, to the girl with six brothers, and the Ravenclaw girl who loved her friends. Here’s to Voldemort. To Draco and Dumbledore. Here’s to Cedric, and Cho, and Fleur. To Hermione and Ron. Here’s to the Boy Who Lived.

Here’s to the story. To the stone and the chamber. The prisoner and the goblet. Here’s to the order, the prince, and the Hallows. Here’s to “Always.” To “All was well.” Here’s to the lightning scar. To Harry Potter.