[Fic] "Secrets" index page -- Harry Potter
Secrets is the second fanfiction story I started writing, back in May 2002. It's 15 chapters and an epilogue, of which 11 12 13 chapters are currently completed and posted. I hope to have the story finished by my 25th birthday. *crosses fingers* (ETA, 11/4/07: Okay, by my 26th birthday, maybe?)
4/22/08: By my 27th birthday. OR ELSE. (note, 1/27/09: ...within a two month margin of error? *headdesk*)
Anyway, "Secrets" is a retelling of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, from Ginny Weasley's point of view. It includes a lot of new material (since Harry paid very little attention to Ginny that year) and also a few scenes lifted nearly word-for-word from canon. I do my best to keep everything workable within the canon framework, though I have twiddled a couple minor things, like the bit where JKR makes the students go to classes on Valentine's Day, even though that was a Sunday in 1992. This means that the publication of OotP -- in which Ginny briefly described her possession -- forced me to revise my plot outline substantially, and I refined my understanding of Ginny even more after reading HBP.
I flatter myself that I accurately predicted some traits that hadn't been revealed in the first four books. I also think that JKR did an inept job of giving Ginny more development and page time -- the Harry/Ginny romance in HBP was particularly awkward -- but I take the information and use it as best as I can.
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Secrets - Table of Contents
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Chapter 1: First Impressions. 6,450 words, 5/17/02. In which Ginny writes in her new diary, Harry and Ron miss the Hogwarts Express, Hermione frets, and Ginny meets two girls on the train. (FictionAlley version)
Chapter 2: Unpleasant Surprises. 8,925 words, 6/16/02. In which we arrive at Hogwarts, watch the Sorting, and finally reach the end of the day. (FictionAlley version)
Chapter 3: Overreactions. 11,275 words, 7/22/02. In which we follow Ginny through her first week of classes, during which much goes right but more goes wrong. (FictionAlley version)
Chapter 4: Sleepwalking. 12,025 words, 11/30/02. In which Ginny and Xanthe arrange a study session, Snape oozes nastiness, we discover what Apple whispered to Daphne on the train, Ginny sleepwalks, and Tom does something slightly disturbing. (FictionAlley version)
Chapter 5: Making It Work. 11,900 words, 5/6/03. In which Tom reveals pieces of his past, Ginny sleepwalks again, an Herbology class presents unforeseen challenges, Sprout is unexpectedly kind, and Halloween arrives. (FictionAlley version)
Chapter 6: The Mechanics of Defense. 11,025 words, 1/5/04. In which tensions rise after Mrs. Norris is found Petrified, and neither her family nor Tom can soothe Ginny's anger and fear. Guest-starring Sir Vladislav the enchanted suit of armor! (FictionAlley version)
Chapter 7: Twice Is Coincidence. 8,750 words, 10/1/04. In which Ginny performs an incantation to help free Tom from the diary, the Gryffindor-Slytherin Quidditch game is a spectacular disaster, and Colin takes an exasperated suggestion far too seriously. Is anyone safe from the Heir? (FictionAlley version)
Chapter 8: With a Family Like This.... 8,875 words, 12/30/04. In which Ginny's guilt over Colin's Petrification drives more wedges between her and her family, while the Dueling Club disaster and third attack rekindle students' terror of the Heir. Thank goodness Tom is still there to listen and comfort her! (FictionAlley version)
Chapter 9: Telling Stories. 11,450 words, 8/27/05. In which things settle down over Christmas holidays, until Xanthe tells Ginny a bit of family history that casts the previous months in a new and unwelcome light. (FictionAlley version)
Chapter 10: Slings and Arrows. 9,325 words, 5/5/06. In which Ginny tries to convince herself that she isn't guilty of Tom's crimes, with rather limited success. A tumultuous Valentine's Day does not help anything. (FictionAlley version)
Chapter 11: A Place to Stand. 9,400 words, 3/23/07. In which life doesn't stop and people don't leave Ginny alone just because she wants to escape. In an effort to fight back against Tom, she investigates Percy and possession, with varying degrees of success. (FictionAlley version)
Chapter 12: Into the Dark. 12,150 words, 1/17/09. In which Ginny wrestles with moral dilemmas and fails to reach any satisfactory conclusions. Attempting to protect Harry and claim responsibility for what she unleashed, she recovers Tom's diary, but that proves a nearly fatal mistake. (FictionAlley version)
Chapter 13: Shattering. 12,050 words, 3/19/09. In which Harry kills Tom and the basilisk, and Ginny faces her complete failure to either solve her own problems or keep Harry safe. She does not cope well, but at least not everyone blames her for helping Tom. That's a good thing, right? (FictionAlley version)
Chapter 14: Making It Better. 10,650 words, 7/21/10. In which Ginny attempts to make amends and regain something approximating a normal life, with varying degrees of success. If you pretend hard enough, can you make something true? (FictionAlley version)
Chapter 15: Open Doors. In which Ginny wavers between pretending everything is fine and wanting everyone to know how hurt she is. This makes apologizing for her prejudice and her enabling of Tom's reign of terror rather awkward. // In which Ginny returns home and begins to reclaim her life. There are no magic solutions, no shortcuts to happiness, but sometimes peace sneaks up and ambushes you when you least think you deserve it. (FictionAlley version)
Epilogue: Isis Alone. The Weasleys in Egypt, summer of 1993. (FictionAlley version)
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I advise reading "Secrets" at FF.net rather than FictionAlley. For a long time there was no direct editing at FA, and I still haven't figured out their current programs, so the FF.net chapters are more current, better edited, and better formatted than their FA equivalents.
I would love you forever and ever if you read and reviewed this story, because "Secrets" is my baby and it does not get half the attention it deserves. Actually, it doesn't get as much as ten percent of the attention it deserves, and really, if people can like, review, and rec a Naruto story set six years before the manga, featuring female OCs as two of its five main characters, and deliberately changing fundamental aspects of the canon hero's background, then there is no reason whatsoever why you can't love "Secrets" too.
*nods firmly, and then gives you puppy-dog eyes*
4/22/08: By my 27th birthday. OR ELSE. (note, 1/27/09: ...within a two month margin of error? *headdesk*)
Anyway, "Secrets" is a retelling of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, from Ginny Weasley's point of view. It includes a lot of new material (since Harry paid very little attention to Ginny that year) and also a few scenes lifted nearly word-for-word from canon. I do my best to keep everything workable within the canon framework, though I have twiddled a couple minor things, like the bit where JKR makes the students go to classes on Valentine's Day, even though that was a Sunday in 1992. This means that the publication of OotP -- in which Ginny briefly described her possession -- forced me to revise my plot outline substantially, and I refined my understanding of Ginny even more after reading HBP.
I flatter myself that I accurately predicted some traits that hadn't been revealed in the first four books. I also think that JKR did an inept job of giving Ginny more development and page time -- the Harry/Ginny romance in HBP was particularly awkward -- but I take the information and use it as best as I can.
--------------------------------------------
Secrets - Table of Contents
--------------------------------------------
Chapter 1: First Impressions. 6,450 words, 5/17/02. In which Ginny writes in her new diary, Harry and Ron miss the Hogwarts Express, Hermione frets, and Ginny meets two girls on the train. (FictionAlley version)
Chapter 2: Unpleasant Surprises. 8,925 words, 6/16/02. In which we arrive at Hogwarts, watch the Sorting, and finally reach the end of the day. (FictionAlley version)
Chapter 3: Overreactions. 11,275 words, 7/22/02. In which we follow Ginny through her first week of classes, during which much goes right but more goes wrong. (FictionAlley version)
Chapter 4: Sleepwalking. 12,025 words, 11/30/02. In which Ginny and Xanthe arrange a study session, Snape oozes nastiness, we discover what Apple whispered to Daphne on the train, Ginny sleepwalks, and Tom does something slightly disturbing. (FictionAlley version)
Chapter 5: Making It Work. 11,900 words, 5/6/03. In which Tom reveals pieces of his past, Ginny sleepwalks again, an Herbology class presents unforeseen challenges, Sprout is unexpectedly kind, and Halloween arrives. (FictionAlley version)
Chapter 6: The Mechanics of Defense. 11,025 words, 1/5/04. In which tensions rise after Mrs. Norris is found Petrified, and neither her family nor Tom can soothe Ginny's anger and fear. Guest-starring Sir Vladislav the enchanted suit of armor! (FictionAlley version)
Chapter 7: Twice Is Coincidence. 8,750 words, 10/1/04. In which Ginny performs an incantation to help free Tom from the diary, the Gryffindor-Slytherin Quidditch game is a spectacular disaster, and Colin takes an exasperated suggestion far too seriously. Is anyone safe from the Heir? (FictionAlley version)
Chapter 8: With a Family Like This.... 8,875 words, 12/30/04. In which Ginny's guilt over Colin's Petrification drives more wedges between her and her family, while the Dueling Club disaster and third attack rekindle students' terror of the Heir. Thank goodness Tom is still there to listen and comfort her! (FictionAlley version)
Chapter 9: Telling Stories. 11,450 words, 8/27/05. In which things settle down over Christmas holidays, until Xanthe tells Ginny a bit of family history that casts the previous months in a new and unwelcome light. (FictionAlley version)
Chapter 10: Slings and Arrows. 9,325 words, 5/5/06. In which Ginny tries to convince herself that she isn't guilty of Tom's crimes, with rather limited success. A tumultuous Valentine's Day does not help anything. (FictionAlley version)
Chapter 11: A Place to Stand. 9,400 words, 3/23/07. In which life doesn't stop and people don't leave Ginny alone just because she wants to escape. In an effort to fight back against Tom, she investigates Percy and possession, with varying degrees of success. (FictionAlley version)
Chapter 12: Into the Dark. 12,150 words, 1/17/09. In which Ginny wrestles with moral dilemmas and fails to reach any satisfactory conclusions. Attempting to protect Harry and claim responsibility for what she unleashed, she recovers Tom's diary, but that proves a nearly fatal mistake. (FictionAlley version)
Chapter 13: Shattering. 12,050 words, 3/19/09. In which Harry kills Tom and the basilisk, and Ginny faces her complete failure to either solve her own problems or keep Harry safe. She does not cope well, but at least not everyone blames her for helping Tom. That's a good thing, right? (FictionAlley version)
Chapter 14: Making It Better. 10,650 words, 7/21/10. In which Ginny attempts to make amends and regain something approximating a normal life, with varying degrees of success. If you pretend hard enough, can you make something true? (FictionAlley version)
Chapter 15: Open Doors. In which Ginny wavers between pretending everything is fine and wanting everyone to know how hurt she is. This makes apologizing for her prejudice and her enabling of Tom's reign of terror rather awkward. // In which Ginny returns home and begins to reclaim her life. There are no magic solutions, no shortcuts to happiness, but sometimes peace sneaks up and ambushes you when you least think you deserve it. (FictionAlley version)
Epilogue: Isis Alone. The Weasleys in Egypt, summer of 1993. (FictionAlley version)
--------------------------------------------
I advise reading "Secrets" at FF.net rather than FictionAlley. For a long time there was no direct editing at FA, and I still haven't figured out their current programs, so the FF.net chapters are more current, better edited, and better formatted than their FA equivalents.
I would love you forever and ever if you read and reviewed this story, because "Secrets" is my baby and it does not get half the attention it deserves. Actually, it doesn't get as much as ten percent of the attention it deserves, and really, if people can like, review, and rec a Naruto story set six years before the manga, featuring female OCs as two of its five main characters, and deliberately changing fundamental aspects of the canon hero's background, then there is no reason whatsoever why you can't love "Secrets" too.
*nods firmly, and then gives you puppy-dog eyes*