Fic: What's Not in the History Books by stmargarets
Title: What’s Not in the History Books
author:stmargarets
Summary: Lily can’t find her copy of the new revised edition of Hogwarts, A History
Word Count: 1,200
Rating: G
Note Holy cow,it's good to be back! Thanks to sherylyn for the beta.
“Dad, have you seen Hogwarts, A History? I need it to finish this essay.”
Harry looked up from the Sunday edition of the Daily Prophet. “Lily, you had all summer to write that essay and you’re just now writing it the night before you leave for Hogwarts?”
“I was planning on finishing it on the train.” Lily peered at the bottom shelf of the bookcase. “But then I thought I should be responsible and write it tonight.”
He suppressed a smile. Her Uncle Ron couldn’t have put it better.
Lily sighed and straightened up. “Not here. I don’t suppose I really need it to finish the essay. I just wanted to double-check Mum’s entry.”
“You’re writing a history essay about Mum?” James looked up from the Tweeter Twig he had been glued to all evening.
“Not about Mum specifically,” she said with dignity. “She’s an example.”
“An example of what?” James smiled.
Lily bristled at his condescending tone. “Of how the history books slight witches and delegate them to supporting roles!”
“Don’t you mean relegate?”
“Maybe I do.” She tossed her red hair. “Whatever the word, I think the new Revised Edition of Hogwarts, A History is rubbish. Dad’s entry is three pages long. Aunt Hermione’s is only a page. And Mum’s is half a page! Completely unfair.”
“What’s unfair?” Ginny entered the room carrying a random assortment of school supplies. A Broom Servicing Kit, a knapsack, and an economy pack of quills.
“Your entry in Hogwarts, A History,” Lily said. “You’ve done loads more stuff than what your entry says. You were Player of the Year in professional Quidditch. You write a column for the newspaper that people actually want to read - not like those boring editorials of Uncle Percy’s.”
“Lils, it’s Hogwarts, A History, emphasis on Hogwarts. Mum did all that stuff after she left school. Besides - ” James flashed Harry a cheeky grin. “We all know Dad peaked early.”
“James!” Ginny gasped. “Your father did not peek early, for heaven’s sake. What a thing to say. You well know the circumstances of his life.”
Harry laughed. “I’m not particularly interested in a longer entry in any history book.”
“Well, that’s fine for you, Dad. You’re modest.” Lily bit her lip as if she was afraid she had gone too far, but then she rushed ahead. “But I think witches have been short-changed in all the history books.”
Ginny sighed as if this conversation were giving her a headache. “Lily, you have a point, but right now I need to know if any of these items belong in your trunks. James, pop upstairs and ask Al to come down. We need to sort this out before it gets too late.”
“I’ll send him a Tweeter Scroll.” James’s thumbs moved furiously over the Tweeter Twig.
“I thought you’d want to practice your Apparition skills,” Ginny said. “When Fred and George passed their test they were Apparating all over the house.”
He shrugged. “It’s easier to send a scroll.”
Ginny raised her eyebrows at Harry in mute bewilderment. He could only shrug back, since he didn’t understand it, either.
Within seconds, Albus clambered down the stairs.
“What’s up?”
“Have you seen Hogwarts, A History?” Lily demanded. “It’s lost.”
“Oh!” Albus pushed up his glasses. “I think it’s in my room. I wanted to read the section on re-building Hogwarts after the Battle. I was hoping to get some clues about the secret passages.”
“Clues about the secret passages?” Ginny’s eyes narrowed. “Why would you want to know that?”
“Come on, Mum,” James said. “Al has a curious mind. You should be happy he’s reading history books for enrichment.”
“Enrichment,” Ginny snorted.
“Oh, my Broom Servicing Kit!” Albus said as if he were glad of a diversion. “I’d wondered where it had got to.”
“Okay, that’s one down. What about this knapsack?”
Lily and Albus exchanged uncomfortable glances. “Um. No one really uses knapsacks anymore, Mum.”
“They don’t?”
“Most people have eyeScrolls now, so they don’t have to lug a bunch of books around.”
“And that’s why we don’t need that many quills,” James added. “Only the old-fashioned professors require you to turn in your assignments on parchment. In most of my classes we can just send our homework to their eyeScroll.”
“Oh.” Ginny blinked. “Well, divide up this pack of quills amongst the three of you then. It won’t hurt to have a few extras. Go along now. Double-check your trunks so it won’t be such a rush tomorrow morning.”
The children filed out, cheerfully grumbling about devoting their last hours of freedom to school preparations.
Ginny sighed and sat on the arm of Harry’s chair. “I believe times have changed.”
Harry laughed and tugged on her wrist. “Come here. You’re too far away.”
Ginny slid on to his lap and snuggled her head against his shoulder. “I’m going to miss them.”
“I know.” He stroked her hair as they sat in comfortable silence. “What do you think of Lily’s point?”
“About witches not getting enough page time in the history books?”
”Yeah. I mean. I think she’s right. You did a lot during your school years and it wasn’t just Quidditch and leading the DA your sixth year. You did a lot for me.”
She put her hand on the side of his face. “History books don’t care about that sort of thing.”
“But - you - the thought of you. It kept me going that year during the war. As for what you do now, I can’t imagine. . .” He wasn’t explaining this very well, but he had to try so that Ginny knew just how important she was to him - to all of them. “If someone wrote Harry, A History, you would be more than half the book. Or if someone wrote The Potters, A History, you’d be the whole book.”
Ginny giggled. “Harry, like you, I don’t care how long my entry is in Hogwarts, A History. But I am glad that I’m in other history books, too. I’m proud of my Quidditch career and I’m proud of my place in Harry, A History.” She kissed his cheek and continued: “But Lily’s whole world is Hogwarts right now. James is right - there’s a lot of time after Hogwarts to achieve.”
“Oh, but I peaked early.” He smiled in anticipation of Ginny flying to his defence.
“That boy! If he only knew what an achievement it has been for you to make a life - a normal, happy life - after all you went through. You’re a good husband and father and friend and that’s more than most of the power-hungry wizards can claim throughout history”
He cut her off with a kiss on the mouth, since that was the best way to tell her that the future he had wished for in the Mirror of Erised - that normal, happy life -was here and now and he would never take it for granted.
After that long, lingering kiss, Ginny sighed and patted his chest.
He smiled at her. “I think someone should write Harry and Ginny, A History to set the story straight.”
“It will be the best history book ever written,” Ginny said, putting her arms around his neck. “However, in the interest of righting a few wrongs, I think Ginny and Harry, A History, might be a better title.
Harry smiled. “You’re always first with me.”
author:stmargarets
Summary: Lily can’t find her copy of the new revised edition of Hogwarts, A History
Word Count: 1,200
Rating: G
Note Holy cow,it's good to be back! Thanks to sherylyn for the beta.
“Dad, have you seen Hogwarts, A History? I need it to finish this essay.”
Harry looked up from the Sunday edition of the Daily Prophet. “Lily, you had all summer to write that essay and you’re just now writing it the night before you leave for Hogwarts?”
“I was planning on finishing it on the train.” Lily peered at the bottom shelf of the bookcase. “But then I thought I should be responsible and write it tonight.”
He suppressed a smile. Her Uncle Ron couldn’t have put it better.
Lily sighed and straightened up. “Not here. I don’t suppose I really need it to finish the essay. I just wanted to double-check Mum’s entry.”
“You’re writing a history essay about Mum?” James looked up from the Tweeter Twig he had been glued to all evening.
“Not about Mum specifically,” she said with dignity. “She’s an example.”
“An example of what?” James smiled.
Lily bristled at his condescending tone. “Of how the history books slight witches and delegate them to supporting roles!”
“Don’t you mean relegate?”
“Maybe I do.” She tossed her red hair. “Whatever the word, I think the new Revised Edition of Hogwarts, A History is rubbish. Dad’s entry is three pages long. Aunt Hermione’s is only a page. And Mum’s is half a page! Completely unfair.”
“What’s unfair?” Ginny entered the room carrying a random assortment of school supplies. A Broom Servicing Kit, a knapsack, and an economy pack of quills.
“Your entry in Hogwarts, A History,” Lily said. “You’ve done loads more stuff than what your entry says. You were Player of the Year in professional Quidditch. You write a column for the newspaper that people actually want to read - not like those boring editorials of Uncle Percy’s.”
“Lils, it’s Hogwarts, A History, emphasis on Hogwarts. Mum did all that stuff after she left school. Besides - ” James flashed Harry a cheeky grin. “We all know Dad peaked early.”
“James!” Ginny gasped. “Your father did not peek early, for heaven’s sake. What a thing to say. You well know the circumstances of his life.”
Harry laughed. “I’m not particularly interested in a longer entry in any history book.”
“Well, that’s fine for you, Dad. You’re modest.” Lily bit her lip as if she was afraid she had gone too far, but then she rushed ahead. “But I think witches have been short-changed in all the history books.”
Ginny sighed as if this conversation were giving her a headache. “Lily, you have a point, but right now I need to know if any of these items belong in your trunks. James, pop upstairs and ask Al to come down. We need to sort this out before it gets too late.”
“I’ll send him a Tweeter Scroll.” James’s thumbs moved furiously over the Tweeter Twig.
“I thought you’d want to practice your Apparition skills,” Ginny said. “When Fred and George passed their test they were Apparating all over the house.”
He shrugged. “It’s easier to send a scroll.”
Ginny raised her eyebrows at Harry in mute bewilderment. He could only shrug back, since he didn’t understand it, either.
Within seconds, Albus clambered down the stairs.
“What’s up?”
“Have you seen Hogwarts, A History?” Lily demanded. “It’s lost.”
“Oh!” Albus pushed up his glasses. “I think it’s in my room. I wanted to read the section on re-building Hogwarts after the Battle. I was hoping to get some clues about the secret passages.”
“Clues about the secret passages?” Ginny’s eyes narrowed. “Why would you want to know that?”
“Come on, Mum,” James said. “Al has a curious mind. You should be happy he’s reading history books for enrichment.”
“Enrichment,” Ginny snorted.
“Oh, my Broom Servicing Kit!” Albus said as if he were glad of a diversion. “I’d wondered where it had got to.”
“Okay, that’s one down. What about this knapsack?”
Lily and Albus exchanged uncomfortable glances. “Um. No one really uses knapsacks anymore, Mum.”
“They don’t?”
“Most people have eyeScrolls now, so they don’t have to lug a bunch of books around.”
“And that’s why we don’t need that many quills,” James added. “Only the old-fashioned professors require you to turn in your assignments on parchment. In most of my classes we can just send our homework to their eyeScroll.”
“Oh.” Ginny blinked. “Well, divide up this pack of quills amongst the three of you then. It won’t hurt to have a few extras. Go along now. Double-check your trunks so it won’t be such a rush tomorrow morning.”
The children filed out, cheerfully grumbling about devoting their last hours of freedom to school preparations.
Ginny sighed and sat on the arm of Harry’s chair. “I believe times have changed.”
Harry laughed and tugged on her wrist. “Come here. You’re too far away.”
Ginny slid on to his lap and snuggled her head against his shoulder. “I’m going to miss them.”
“I know.” He stroked her hair as they sat in comfortable silence. “What do you think of Lily’s point?”
“About witches not getting enough page time in the history books?”
”Yeah. I mean. I think she’s right. You did a lot during your school years and it wasn’t just Quidditch and leading the DA your sixth year. You did a lot for me.”
She put her hand on the side of his face. “History books don’t care about that sort of thing.”
“But - you - the thought of you. It kept me going that year during the war. As for what you do now, I can’t imagine. . .” He wasn’t explaining this very well, but he had to try so that Ginny knew just how important she was to him - to all of them. “If someone wrote Harry, A History, you would be more than half the book. Or if someone wrote The Potters, A History, you’d be the whole book.”
Ginny giggled. “Harry, like you, I don’t care how long my entry is in Hogwarts, A History. But I am glad that I’m in other history books, too. I’m proud of my Quidditch career and I’m proud of my place in Harry, A History.” She kissed his cheek and continued: “But Lily’s whole world is Hogwarts right now. James is right - there’s a lot of time after Hogwarts to achieve.”
“Oh, but I peaked early.” He smiled in anticipation of Ginny flying to his defence.
“That boy! If he only knew what an achievement it has been for you to make a life - a normal, happy life - after all you went through. You’re a good husband and father and friend and that’s more than most of the power-hungry wizards can claim throughout history”
He cut her off with a kiss on the mouth, since that was the best way to tell her that the future he had wished for in the Mirror of Erised - that normal, happy life -was here and now and he would never take it for granted.
After that long, lingering kiss, Ginny sighed and patted his chest.
He smiled at her. “I think someone should write Harry and Ginny, A History to set the story straight.”
“It will be the best history book ever written,” Ginny said, putting her arms around his neck. “However, in the interest of righting a few wrongs, I think Ginny and Harry, A History, might be a better title.
Harry smiled. “You’re always first with me.”