[Fic] "Research Materials" -- Harry Potter
Mar. 2nd, 2005 09:40 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
edenfallingA gen ficlet, Ginny-centric. (For the curious, Apple, the other character, is an OC from Secrets, my retelling of CoS from Ginny's point of view. She also appears in First You Have to Get There and Sir Ron and the Green Knight. Basically, she's one of Ginny's roommates.)
ETA: I would like to point out that the comparison of Voldemort to Koschei the Deathless was written well before we had any knowledge of Horcruxes. Clearly, I am precognitive. *snicker*
[ETA2: the slightly revised final version is now up on AO3!]
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Research Materials
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Apple didn't understand why Ginny read fairy-tales.
"You're a witch," she said. "You know about real magic and real dragons. Why bother reading Muggles' mangled ideas of our world?"
"The magic isn't the point," Ginny said, and tried to explain about archetypes and fundamental story patterns, and quests and the lesson that evil can, in fact, be overcome. "I think we'd be a lot better off if more people read fairy-tales -- then maybe everyone would realize that Voldemort isn't invincible."
Apple raised a skeptical eyebrow.
"Here, listen," Ginny said, flipping through her illustrated book. "In this story, the evil wizard Koschei the Deathless kidnaps princesses and makes them his slaves. Anyone who tries to rescue them gets turned to stone, and even if they can protect themselves from that, Koschei's immortal. He took out his heart, see, and if you can't destroy his heart, you can't kill him.
"Sound familiar?"
Apple nodded, but still looked unconvinced. "I assume somebody manages to conjure a happy ending?"
"Yes. See, Koschei is so worried that someone will find his heart that he guards it too obviously. And the hero makes friends with the animals Koschei mistreats, and they help steal the heart. So Koschei dies, the stone people come back to life, and the princesses are free. And it's all because he didn't understand about people working together."
"It's a nice idea," Apple said, "but I don't think it's particularly applicable. We aren't going to be helped by talking squirrels or ants."
"Well, probably not." Then Ginny grinned. "But I know another reason to read fairy-tales."
"Oh?"
"Research." Ginny pointed at an illustration, and an answering grin spread across Apple's face.
Professor Snape was not pleased to find toads and vipers dripping from his mouth every time he tried to insult a student. But Apple never said another word against Ginny's reading habits.
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Inspired by the 3/1/2005![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
15minuteficlets word #96: vitriol
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Work is boring. Gray skies and snow are boring.
On the other hand, I do have an intake appointment at the Mental Health Clinic on Friday morning, so I should be able to get a new prescription for anti-depressants before my current prescription runs out. :-)
ETA: I would like to point out that the comparison of Voldemort to Koschei the Deathless was written well before we had any knowledge of Horcruxes. Clearly, I am precognitive. *snicker*
[ETA2: the slightly revised final version is now up on AO3!]
-----------------------------------
Research Materials
-----------------------------------
Apple didn't understand why Ginny read fairy-tales.
"You're a witch," she said. "You know about real magic and real dragons. Why bother reading Muggles' mangled ideas of our world?"
"The magic isn't the point," Ginny said, and tried to explain about archetypes and fundamental story patterns, and quests and the lesson that evil can, in fact, be overcome. "I think we'd be a lot better off if more people read fairy-tales -- then maybe everyone would realize that Voldemort isn't invincible."
Apple raised a skeptical eyebrow.
"Here, listen," Ginny said, flipping through her illustrated book. "In this story, the evil wizard Koschei the Deathless kidnaps princesses and makes them his slaves. Anyone who tries to rescue them gets turned to stone, and even if they can protect themselves from that, Koschei's immortal. He took out his heart, see, and if you can't destroy his heart, you can't kill him.
"Sound familiar?"
Apple nodded, but still looked unconvinced. "I assume somebody manages to conjure a happy ending?"
"Yes. See, Koschei is so worried that someone will find his heart that he guards it too obviously. And the hero makes friends with the animals Koschei mistreats, and they help steal the heart. So Koschei dies, the stone people come back to life, and the princesses are free. And it's all because he didn't understand about people working together."
"It's a nice idea," Apple said, "but I don't think it's particularly applicable. We aren't going to be helped by talking squirrels or ants."
"Well, probably not." Then Ginny grinned. "But I know another reason to read fairy-tales."
"Oh?"
"Research." Ginny pointed at an illustration, and an answering grin spread across Apple's face.
Professor Snape was not pleased to find toads and vipers dripping from his mouth every time he tried to insult a student. But Apple never said another word against Ginny's reading habits.
-----------------------------------
Inspired by the 3/1/2005
15minuteficlets word #96: vitriol-----------------------------------
Work is boring. Gray skies and snow are boring.
On the other hand, I do have an intake appointment at the Mental Health Clinic on Friday morning, so I should be able to get a new prescription for anti-depressants before my current prescription runs out. :-)
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Date: 2005-03-03 07:29 am (UTC)(no subject)
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