Disclaimer: Harry Potter isn't mine.
Note: This story is dedicated to MJ. "I don't understand," I said. "I don't either. Why don't you write a story to explain it to the both of us?" She replied. Thus, this happened. The answer to our confusion is in there. It is tucked somewhere among all the plot bunnies and people that were insisting upon having their own way.
Prologue
7 January 2038
Adrienne,
It was an unmitigated disaster. I am not even sure what went wrong. It all went so badly so fast. We were sitting there at dinner and I was thinking "Oh my goodness, it is really them" and "How did I ever pull this off" one minute. The next minute they were making their excuses and leaving. I do not know what I did wrong. It seemed to be going so well. Mrs. Weasley was even gushing about what a wonderful idea the project was and saying something about how such an overly neglected subject like History of Magic needed to be revamped so that it would appeal to a greater number of students as they went through Hogwarts. She said that it would help maintain a proper sense of history in our youth. Mr. Weasley seemed to think that was funny for some reason.
Anyway . . . They liked it. They liked the idea. They thought it was a good one. I thought it was a done deal. I was even starting to relax. Then, everything just suddenly changed. There is no way I am going to get them to participate now. I am thinking it may have had something to do with my explanation of the process. Ms. Smith was right. I should have just kept my mouth shut. The words "something like a Quick Notes Quill" came out of my mouth, and I swear the temperature in the room dropped 15 degrees. I should have known. I should have done what she told me and just hooked them on the project. I should have let her do the process explanations. She thought I would mess them up. I just was not certain that she was going to explain it correctly. I mean you have heard me talk about how she exaggerates or glosses over things by turn. I was afraid she might not explain fully. I thought that it would not be fair to them if they did not completely understand. I was wrong. I muddled it all up royally. They just seemed so ready to listen, and it is my idea after all. I should have let someone who is better at dealing with people handle it.
Ms. Smith is going to kill me. Then, she will probably resurrect me just to fire me. Oh Adrienne, what am I going to do? She was only sold on the project because of them. If I don't have them to pull from . . . Where do I go from here?
Sadie
8 January 2038
Nat,
I'm talking to you because you are the kinder, more understanding of my editors. I'm not ready to go anywhere near Constance with this one yet. In case you have not deduced so from that opening, I have bad news.
I got the interview – with all four of them together. It seemed to be going well. They liked the idea, but they are not going to do it. I blew it. Now I do not know what to do. It was going to be so perfect. There is no way that Constance is going to let me go ahead without the four of them. There is no one else. They are "The Trio" and Ginny Weasley. Who else am I going to get to get the funding for this? To get this pulled off? It is so important.
I cannot just let it die. I will think about what other options I have and get back to you in the morning. I just wanted to let you know so that you do not get blind-sided if Constance is on a tear to have me fired tomorrow.
Sadie
8 January 2038
Dear Sadie,
I have known you for some time now, and I know you're better than that. Don't give up so easily. Your original plan for your idea may have fallen through, but that doesn't make the worth of the idea itself any less. You're a Ravenclaw. You're a bright girl. Think of some other way to make it work. Pull it off. And don't let Constance bully you.
Nat
8 January 2038
Sade,
Oh my goodness! You actually got an interview with "The Golden Trio Plus One." How cool is that? They never grant interviews. Stop beating yourself up! If nothing else, think of the columns you could write for the Daily Prophet on your experience at dinner. I know, I know. You're a serious book author – not a newspaper reporter. I've heard the spiel many times. My point is that this was a wonderful opportunity. Even if it didn't turn out the way you planned, that doesn't make it any less wonderful. Think of all the kids in the world that we grew up with who would have killed for a chance to do what you just did.
I've got faith in you, Sadie. You're brilliant. You know you are, so go out and fix it. Besides, everybody grew up hearing their stories. Think of someone different – someone who was on the sidelines but still kind of in the middle of everything (if that makes any sense at all). Maybe that's the way you should go. Use some different perspectives. It could work. See what you can do with it.
Adrienne
9 January 2038
Dear Constance Smith,
I wanted to let you know, Ms. Smith, that after initial interviews in preparation for the project that we have previously discussed, I feel that the subjects mentioned are part of an over studied direction. In order for these text reforms to have maximum impact, I feel that the focus should switch to some secondary participants in the war. I am looking at Mrs. Luna Scamander, Mr. Neville Longbottom, and various other members of the original DA. I am quite sure that the introduction of these lesser known stories will improve the quality of the educational content.
If, as you have suggested, the publishing house decides that general release biographies are a better use of the information, these less told stories should help to pique interest and boost initial sales. I just wanted to keep you updated – thank you so much for your attention to this project.
Sincerely,
Sadie Creevey
11 January 2038
Dear Miss Creevey,
I'm disappointed that you opted to trash an entire quarter's worth of build up work on a project just because you decided that that was not what the readers really wanted. Please spare me a reiteration of how you intend this project for a textbook. You know that is a decision that will be made by the executive board when the book is ready for editing. Until such time as that decision is made, you would do well to remember that I am here to give you advice on how to keep the topic widely distributable.
Listen to what I am telling you. Sadie dear, you don't know what the readers want. You're good with a quill – I'll give you that. You've got the brains to do some serious writing. You could go far (especially with this pensieve charm of yours) in this industry, but you're going to have to stop being so rash. I know what the readers want. That's why I'm here. Two bit has beens who teach at Hogwarts showing off their old DA coins to anyone who will listen to their far overdone war stories is not what we had in mind. Think of something better, or I'll take the project from you.
Constance
11 January 2038
Sade,
Hey! I'm going to be up to London tomorrow for work. Since I'll be in town, I thought we might be able to meet up for dinner? I'll take you for ice cream after. Hope to see you then.
Drake
11 January 2038
Dray,
Normally I would like nothing better than to catch up with you (and eat ice cream), but I'm kind of in the middle of a huge disaster at work. The if I don't get it cleared up, I'm going to be the one serving the ice cream kind. I'm sorry. Maybe next time?
Sadie
11 January 2038
Sade,
No problem. I understand you have to work. Just don't get too stressed out about it. It's not good for you. Besides, if you were the one serving the ice cream, you would probably also be getting free samples. That wouldn't be all bad, now would it? I'll see you next time I'm up.
Drake
12 January 2038
Dear Mrs. Scamander:
I know you have no idea who I am, and you probably receive thousands of letters in the course of a year. This one is different. I am not demanding an autograph or writing accolades on you career – although you do deserve them.
My name is Sadie Creevey. I am a recent graduate of Hogwarts School of Withcraft and Wizardry where I, like you, was in Ravenclaw House. I am working in book publishing, and I have taken an interest in revising the History of Magic curriculum. As you know, it is woefully outdated. I feel it is important that the students be exposed to some more recent history. After all, forewarned is forearmed, and our best defense against the mistakes of the past being repeated is to make sure that our children know what those mistakes were. I was hoping that I might receive your help in this matter.
I am proposing writing a series of books, semi-biographical in nature with the perspectives of various people who participated in the fight against Voldemort. I am hoping that the personal focus will help students who are not naturally inclined toward a study of history to gain a better grasp on the content. You are one of the people that I should like to write about. I was wondering if you would be interested in providing some personal details to the story.
Everyone knows the general points, Mrs. Scamander. We know what was put in the newspapers at the time. We know the near legends that have been passed through our society, but only those of you who were there can tell us what it was really, truly like. You are the ones that can tell us what the warning signs were. You are the ones who know what it was like to live in a time when you did not know if your family and friends were going to be there the next time you came to see them. We need to know that. We need to not lose that sense of what can happen when we become lax in our viligiance against wrong.
On a personal note, I know how hard this subject can be to retell. I respect that you may choose not to relive moments that were probably painful. My own uncle died in the Battle of Hogwarts, and my father cannot bring himself to discuss it. My best friend during my Hogwarts' years only found out that her father had been an original member of the DA during a conversation with Professor Longbottom after Herbology class one day.
Everyone thinks that they are giving us a chance to grow up in a world that is less dark than the one in which they had to live. I understand what they are trying to do. But for those of us who are the children and grandchildren of that time, it is difficult. We have a disconnect from them because we do not understand what they went through. We do not understand why it was so important to fight against what was happening that they had to give up a part of their childhood. We do not understand why we hear stories of the things they did from strangers instead of their own lips. We do not understand, and I am afraid that makes us take everything far too lightly. We need to know. We need to understand. We need to not be shielded into complacency. Our grandchildren will be the ones who pay the price for that.
I apologize if I have begun to ramble somewhat, but this is very important to me. Please, think about it. If you decide that you are interested, please let me know by return of owl. I will be happy to answer any questions you may have and to provide you with further details. Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
Sadie Creevey
13 January 2038
Dear Miss Creevey,
Yes.
Sincerely,
Luna Scamander
13 January 2038
Adrienne,
She said yes. That is, quite literally, all she said. She did not ask any questions. She did not make any comments. Her reply was literally one word long. What do I even do with that?
Sadie
13 January 2038
Sade,
Be happy.
Adrienne
13 January 2038
Adrienne,
That was not funny.
Sadie
13 January 2038
Sade,
Yes, it was. Seriously, be happy. She said yes. So, get on with it already. You should be bouncing off the walls. I told you you could make this work. I'm just sorry that you were so in the middle of it that you couldn't see Drake. It's a pity his trip wasn't a couple of days later. We could have all had a celebration dinner. As it is, you will be stuck with me taking you to the bakery for celebratory cookies.
Adrienne
13 January 2038
Adrienne,
If this were my celebration, should we not be going for celebratory ice cream? Cookies are your weakness. Thanks for the offer, but I cannot go anywhere right now. If I am going to do this, I have got to figure out some way to make Ms. Smith okay with it.
Sadie
13 January 2038
Sade,
Good news! My stay in London has been extended. I'll actually be here for about a week. Surely we can fit an ice cream run in there somewhere. Do you have your work troubles sorted then?
Drake
14 January 2038
Dear Mrs. Scamander,
Thank you so much for your participation. Would you like to meet somewhere so that I can explain the process to you?
Sincerely,
Sadie Creevey
14 January 2038
Dear Miss Creevey,
That won't be necessary. Please call me Luna.
Luna
14 January 2038
Dear Nat,
Luna said yes, but she declined an explanation of how I am going to do the interviews. What do I do now? I can't not tell her about the memory capture charm, can I? That would not be right.
Sadie
14 January 2038
Dear Miss Creevey,
Natalie McDonald has been called out of her office to deal with a situation at our offices in the United States. She should be returning somewhere around the fifth of February. I have returned your letter so that you may decide whether to forward it to her at that location. I do apologize for any inconvenience.
Abigail Weldon
Interdepartmental Communications, W. W. Publishing
14 January 2038
Sade,
What do you think about Drake's news? Pretty cool, huh? Unwrap yourself from this project for a few minutes and come out to dinner with us.
Adrienne
14 January 2038
Dear Constance Smith,
I have secured the cooperation of Luna Scamander as an initial subject. I have one concern. She has declined knowing the details of the process for the interviews. What do I do about that, Ms. Smith?
Sincerely,
Sadie Creevey
14 January 2038
Sadie,
Declined? In writing? Dear girl, you don't do anything about that. I always told you that it was a mistake for you to do the explaining dear. You should have left it to me from the start. You don't have experience explaining things to people in the manner in which they can best understand. You offered to tell her, and she declined. The both of you are operating in complete good faith. Don't worry your pretty little head about it. You do keep copies of all of your outgoing and incoming correspondence, yes? Just like I told you to do? She is a very busy woman, and she doesn't need to be bothered with unnecessary details.
I must say I had my doubts about this secondary track that you were taking, but I think that it is going to work out just splendidly. Not that Luna herself is all that interesting – she was housemates with my mother. Flighty like you cannot begin to imagine. Loony Lovegood they used to call her. She was always wandering around with some half-baked, crazy story from her father's rag of a newspaper. Quite oblivious to the world she was. Mother and some of the others used to hide her things at school just to see if she would notice – she never did. But, she was always hanging around the others – Potter, Granger, and the Weasley girl especially. I hear she even dated Potter. She must know loads of things that have never been told. And that Granger girl. She must know all about the Hermione that the world never hears about. "Brightest witch of her age" and all that rubbish. The truth is she was a downright nasty piece of work to be around. Hexed my mother with no warning at all once – she still has a scar. She and Potter had an on-again, off-again relationship for years, even when he was dating other girls – he must have run through them like water. Heroes of the war they may be, but I think you will agree with me that it is important to not put people up on pedestals. All people have their flaws, and the public should know the bad along with the good. What a wonderful lesson that will be for your school children! All about how even deeply flawed individuals can rise to the occasion and do great things. Wouldn't that be a wonderful piece of wisdom for your books to pass on to the world? I'm looking forward to it my dear. I'm really looking forward to it.
Drop this nonsense of calling me Ms. Smith at once. It's Constance.
Anticipating the first chapter,
Constance
15 January 2038
Dear Luna,
Would it be acceptable to you to conduct our interviews by post? I do not want to take up any more of your time than absolutely necessary. I could send you a recording charmed parchment with the questions, and you can give verbal responses – you will not even need to lift a quill.
Sadie
16 January 2038
Dear Sadie,
That would be fine.
Luna
16 January 2038
Sade,
Are you still alive in that apartment? Do I need to go drag you out? Stop. Breathe. Answer your mail.
Adrienne
17 January 2038
Adrienne,
I'm really busy right now. I promise I will get back to you soon.
Sadie
17 January 2038
Dray,
I am so sorry, but I really am swamped. I just cannot get away right now.
Sadie
17 January 2038
Sade,
That's fine. I understand. I'm spending some quality time with my parents. I haven't done that for a while, so that's nice. I know how you get – don't let things stress you out too much.
Drake
17 January 2038
Sade,
I will choose to accept that you are in fact as busy as you say you are, and I will let it go for now. However, if you stop answering your mail again, I will find in necessary to forcibly enter your apartment and seize control of your daily schedule.
Adrienne
17 January 2038
Adrienne,
I will keep that in mind.
Sadie
No sooner had Sadie sent Adrienne's owl back with a reply than there was a new tapping at the window. Sadie recognized the large barn owl from the office that she had sent off with Luna's first set of questions. This was it. She took a deep breath and opened the window.