You are an adult and he is a minor. If he accuses you of something illegal, weather or not it's true, it will be your word against his and you will end up arrested and charged with child abuse, and yes you will be going to jail. The law always protects minors.
Yes it is illegal. You are of age, but he is still a minor. It doesn't matter if he lied about his age, at 17 he is still a minor.
I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.