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Legwork | ||||||
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Category: Ginny's Accomplishment Challenge (2012-2), Ginny's Accomplishment Challenge (2012-2) Characters:Harry/Ginny, Luna Lovegood, Neville Longbottom, Other Genres: Action/Adventure Warnings: Mild Language, Violence Story is Complete Rating: PG-13 Reviews: 43 Summary: *** Winner of Best Overall & Most Adventurous in the Ginny’s Accomplishment Challenge *** *** Winner of The People’s Choice Award, a tie, in the Ginny’s Accomplishment Challenge *** legwork n. \ˈleg-ˌwərk\ The work done in preparation or to create the basis for the stated task. ex. research done in order to write an essay Submitted for Ginny's Accomplishment Challenge. Hitcount: Story Total: 25270; Chapter Total: 3419 |
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Ginny fidgeted in the hot August sun. She wanted the awards ceremony to be over so she could go back to the Burrow and get out of her dress robes. Whose idea was it to make dress robes winter weight, anyway? Didn’t they know people had formal engagements in the summer too? Maybe they wanted to discourage formal engagements all together. They had the right of it, then. Professor McGonagall’s voice broke through Ginny’s irritable thoughts. “I would like to begin the Hogwarts awards by asking every member Dumbledore’s Army to come to the front,” she began. “These students risked their lives to fight for Hogwarts. I truly believe we would not have been able to fight Tom Riddle if not for their efforts. Hogwarts and the greater Wizarding community give you our thanks,” she said, concluding with the traditional line. Ginny shuffled her feet as she accepted a delicate crystal phoenix. She felt conspicuous in front of so many people. “Miss Weasley and Mr. Longbottom, if you would remain,” Professor McGonagall said. Slowly the crowd grew quiet again. “Mr. Neville Longbottom was the leader of Dumbledore’s Army,” Professor McGonagall began again. “He exhibited qualities of leadership beyond his experience and performed invaluable feats of courage and self-sacrifice. Neville Longbottom, you have been chosen to receive an Order of Merlin, second class, and a Special Award for Services to the School. Hogwarts and the greater Wizarding community give you our thanks.” Neville was flushed a deep pink, but he smiled as he shook Professor McGonagall’s hand and accepted his Order of Merlin. “The DA was not the only group fighting against evil in the school this year,” Professor McGonagall continued. “Miss Ginevra Weasley, driven to protect her fellow students, created a second, highly secret organization. This habit of secretiveness is so ingrained that very few people know about it even today. It is high time for the story of Legwork to be told.” Ginny stood stiffly as McGonagall told the story of where Legwork had come from, outlined the nine teams, and explained how Padma had taken over for Ginny after Easter. “However, Miss Patil insisted Legwork is entirely attributable to Miss Weasley. She spent hours coordinating the Legwork teams and the DA and mentoring to the younger students. Many of the students referred to her as Mummy Gin because of her dedication to care for them." Ginny stifled a groan. Now she'd never be free of that nickname. "Ginevra Weasley, for your incredible drive to protect others, you have been chosen to receive an Order of Merlin, second class, and a Special Award for Services to the School. Hogwarts and the greater Wizarding community give you our thanks.” Ginny numbly accepted the Order of Merlin. Why was she the only one who was getting recognized? “Professor,” she said, “can I say something, please?” Professor McGonagall looked startled, but pointed her wand at Ginny. “Certainly, Miss Weasley,” she said. “Sonorus.” Ginny stared out at the massive crowd, now entirely focused on her. “I want every single Legwork member to stand up,” she said finally. “This is Legwork, these kids standing among you. Not me. I shuffled a lot of parchment around.” Ginny surveyed them, smiling slightly. “I’m not sure if I’m actually allowed to say this, but to every member of Legwork, Hogwarts and the greater Wizarding community gives you our thanks.” “Quietus,” Professor McGonagall said under the new round of applause. “As you are not a representative of Hogwarts or the greater Wizarding community, you are not allowed to say that, Miss Weasley,” she said sternly. Ginny winced. “However,” Professor McGonagall continued, a tiny smile hovering at the corners of her mouth, “I thought it entirely appropriate.” Ginny smiled and ducked her head. “Thank you, Professor,” she said quickly, and she hurried back to her seat. “You masterminded all of this?” Hermione asked, pouring over Ginny’s master plan. “Always the tone of surprise,” Ginny teased. Ron flushed. “Just be glad someone was paying attention when you were preaching about organization and time tables. I never met a schedule planner I didn’t like,” Ginny mimicked the older witch. Hermione smiled shakily and launched herself at Ginny. “I’m just glad you found something that kept you out of trouble,” she said. Ginny met Ron’s eyes over Hermione’s shoulder and smirked. “What makes you think she stayed out of trouble, Hermione?” Ron asked. “She’s a Weasley, after all.” Hermione pulled back and looked at Ginny, indignant. “You actually did those stupid things? Graffiti and raids and-” “Only DA members could do it, and we needed every one of us,” Ginny said firmly. “I wasn’t about to let them go short-handed.” “You do sound like Mum, Ginny,” Ron said. Ginny used Fadime’s sweeping kick to knock Ron over. “Enough with the Mummy Gin comments. And besides,” she said, “I had to do something to keep from going mad.” Ron chuckled as he pulled himself up from the grass. “But — when did you sleep?” Hermione exclaimed. “You had homework, and the DA, and coordinating something like this takes so much time!” “History of Magic,” Ginny said dryly. Ron snorted. “Really, Neville didn’t let me go nearly as often. And for Legwork, I just made sure everything got done. I didn’t participate much.” “And Harry didn’t do much to defeat Voldemort either, we know,” Ron said. “You did good, Gin-gin,” he said, hugging his sister fiercely. “Well, not good, Ron,” Hermione corrected automatically. Ron released Ginny and glared at Hermione. “Honestly, does my grammar really matter today, Hermione?” “Yes, Ronald-” Ginny tuned the bickering couple out as a third pair of arms wrapped around her waist. “Ginny Weasley, you are a force of nature,” Harry said in her ear. “I still feel like I didn’t do anything incredible, not compared to you,” Ginny said, turning to face him. “I don’t know if I’m quite the standard to use,” Harry said plaintively. “Things just happen to me!” Ginny smiled. “Alright, but I still feel like-” “You had help? You were lucky? You had no idea what you were doing?” “All of that,” Ginny said softly, “and no matter how much I did it was never enough.” “It never is,” said Harry. “I wasn’t fast enough disapparating from Malfoy Manor for Dobby. I didn’t find the diadem fast enough to save Fred. Hell, I spent months wandering around without a clue while people were dying.” “Harry, you idiot, none of that was your-” Ginny stopped short. “Oh.” “Exactly,” he said quietly. “I know it wasn’t enough, Ginny. But it was everything you had, and that’s all you could do.” “Do you believe it?” she asked. “That you did all you could?” Harry laughed shakily. “No,” he said. “Not even close.” “We are a pair, aren’t we, Potter.” “I’m rather pleased with that, actually,” he said. “Now that’s taken care of,” Ron said loudly. “What’s taken care of?” Harry asked. “Hermione was worried you’d have this incredible guilt complex we’d have to snap you out of again,” Ron said bluntly. “Sometimes you do.” “Ron!” Hermione scolded. Ron shrugged. “He won’t brood this time,” Ginny said firmly. “We should’ve gotten Ginny with him ages ago,” Ron said to Hermione. “Our lives would’ve been so much easier.” Ginny smirked. “So glad you approve, Ronnie,” she said. “So you won’t mind this.” She pulled Harry down into a lingering kiss. “Oi! Ginny! That’s my best mate you’re snogging!” Ron shouted. “Oh Ron,” Hermione managed before dissolving into giggles. Ron looked down at her, and then at Ginny, who was also giggling. “You’re all mad,” Ron announced. “I’m going in for supper.” He marched down the hill towards the Burrow. Hermione shook her head, and together they followed him back to the Burrow. That officially ends my first-ever challenge entry! Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing. Really, I just couldn’t write the story completely without Harry’s presence, so I had to finish the epilogue too. |
| Reviews 43 |
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