RP: Book Collector

[shh_hermione]

Date: November 28, 2004
Character(s): Hermione, Blaise
Location: Library
Status: Private
Summary: Hermione and Blaise discuss books and projects
Completion: Complete

Comments

[shh_blaise]

She wasn’t just blunt, she could talk and talk and talk. Blaise stood up; he’d sat down momentarily as he listened to her ramble, but now he needed space to think.

He walked over to what remained of a poster on a wall, reading absently the library’s aims. When she had said ‘you’re forgiven’ like that, Blaise had almost… Actually he wasn’t sure what he almost did. Something about Hermione kept throwing him off. If it wasn’t her well thought out reasoning, it was her bluntness or, in this case, her presumptuousness to forgive him.

And then there had been her explanation. There was so much. What to pick up on first?

“It’s a good idea,” he conceded, half aware of the fact that the library seemed to aim to answer ninety percent of all questions. The thought was voiced but it was more a comment to himself. Donations would be limited. He had considered the fact, but this solution had not come to him. He’d thought about searching abroad, but that limited the availability of books on British history and culture. Besides even mainland Europe had been hit pretty hard by the war.

“People should have access to the past. It’s the only way they’ll learn. And this is our culture. It’s what I’d tried to tell Minerva the other day - we need to value it. Hang on to what we have and try and rebuild the rest. Learn from it. Yes. It’s a good solution.”

She’d mentioned the library. He still couldn’t be sure of her intentions about that, but he fancied that they were focussed elsewhere for now. It would give him opportunity to assert his claim. He turned around to assess her, catching the blush on her cheeks, but for once too distracted to analyse it. “Once I’ve rebuilt this, we will need books,” he said cautiously. And there was his plan for forcing that issue of History of Magic with Minerva. The classroom would need books too, were he to continue ahead with his plan.

“I believe we could make a deal.” Blaise ran his gaze over Hermione. She was quite surprising. The flattery and comment about her passion for the area had not gone un-noticed either. Nor had her mention of working with future authors. It was also something he had considered for the future.

“Have you considered salvaging what’s left also? Hogwarts, for example?”

[shh_hermione]

"Of course it is." She smiled slightly. "I try not to share the bad ideas that I have. That can rather one's reputation, after all."

Hermione's smile widened. "Yes, exactly," she said. He really got it, which made her feel less foolish for excitedly discussing it. "We have to learn from the past or risk making the same mistakes. One of the first things I did after deciding on this project was approach someone to begin writing a book about both Voldemort wars, in fact. After the first one, there should have been more information provided to the public. I don't mean specifics on how people were killed or other glorifications of death, but information on motivation and prejudice. If there had, maybe people would have been more prepared for a second rising."

"It's like Hitler, during the second World War, and rumors of Grindewald being involved in that Muggle war," she continued. "Perhaps if our world had known more or, actually, wanted to know more, then Voldemort could have been stopped the first time. I really believe that we need to preserve our past, both to appreciate and learn from, but I also feel that people need to be educated so that another situation like this won't be as likely to happen in the future. By having Muggle books with wizarding books and, especially now in this town, I hope that old prejudices can fade to at least tolerance."

She shrugged. "Anyway, that's not the subject at hand," she said. "We definitely need to learn from the past and rebuild our world."

"I'm sure once the Ministry rebuilds this," she said smoothly, watching him closely, "the library will definitely need books. The books down here are the ones that were worth saving. There are charms on them now, after a few hours work a couple of weeks ago, to protect them from the elements until the building can be rebuilt. However, a lot of the existing books here were too damaged to save. The entire second level is a book graveyard, of sorts, but there are enough for a good Muggle section. Plus, you can buy used books in a secondhand bookstore in London for relatively good prices should there be certain areas that need considered. However, the wizarding part of the library, which should be larger, will need everything."

"And what sort of deal do we have, Mister Zabini?" she asked. "I'd like to know the exact terms you have in mind, along with any loopholes you're contemplating."

"I considered a salvage trip to Diagon Alley to see if anything survived at Flourish & Botts. Honestly, I hope to find something there that can be donated as well as some things I might be able to sell in my bookstore to cover expenses."

She bit her lip and tucked her hair behind her ear as she considered Hogwarts. She honestly didn't know if she was ready to face its destruction, but it was a logical choice for a salvage trip. Perhaps she could even locate some of Professor McGonagall's research notes or old textbooks that survived. Finally, she nodded. "Hogwarts would be a likely place to escavate. If anything managed to survive, it could be useful. Either books for reprinting or even items for the new museum once it's open."

[shh_blaise]

“Hitler?” Blaise asked, unaware of the presumably Muggle reference Hermione was making, but curious all the same. His eyes were drawn back to the sign he’d seen earlier. Maybe it would be worthwhile reading up on some Muggle history. If what Hermione was suggesting was true about wizarding involvement in Muggle wars it would be worth his time to further investigate it.

Blaise turned back to the witch, deciding that there were more pressing issues to pursue.

“At the moment we don’t have a deal,” he said cautiously, appraising her once more. He hadn’t missed her comment about the Ministry rebuilding the library and whilst it did lighten his fear that she herself had designs on the building, it did not erase them altogether. “What we have is the basis for one.”

He took a step closer to her before dropping back down into his seat. “From what I’ve heard it will be a long time before the Ministry can afford to rebuild this place. More pressing concerns at the moment, I feel. But there are interested parties with both the capital and the passion needed to finance such a building renovation, and they would need books to re stock it.” He paused and awaited her response.

[shh_hermione]

"Hitler had a similar thought process to Voldemort in terms of popularing the world only those he saw fit to live within it. He arranged the systematic torture and murder of people based on their religion and other factors, and was responsible for the deaths of more people than we even have in the British wizarding world," she explained generally, noticing his attention again wander to the history section. "I'm sure that section has quite a few books on World War II, which is the one we're discussing."

She arched a brow and listened, biting her lip in thought as she considered his words. As he spoke, she ran her fingers through her hair and thought carefully. She dropped her arm and tugged her jumper back down, making a mental note to alter some of her old clothes.

"I think that a library should be open to the public. I also feel that the government, whether wealthy or not, should have overall control of a library, museum, or other public works type of establishments, so long as they allow equal representation for all subjects and don't ban things based on an attempt to sway the minds of the people. No one can own knowledge, after all," she said.

"However, if certain interested parties with the funds and passion for helping the Ministry build were to go through proper channels and have no more overall control than any normal private citizen who frequented the library for learning, then I'd have to agree that the library would, indeed, need books to re stock it." She smiled slightly. "In which case, another interested party with the knowledge and means of reproducing said books might be a formidable ally."

[shh_blaise]

Blaise looked between Hermione and the history section, which had so caught his attention, interested by the comparisons the witch was making. “I think that perhaps there’s a case for studying both wizarding and Muggle history along side one another,” Blaise said as he regarded Hermione. “After all the whole point of studying History is to learn from it. Right?” He leant foreword, involved in the subject they were discussing. “I hadn’t heard of this Hitler, but imagine if the generations that followed Voldemort’s first demise had studied this World War II.”

Blaise leaned back once more and took a deep breath. It had been too long since he had been able to hold a discussion like this with someone. Not since his Granddad had died. And really he had not been old enough to hold his own in those discussions. He’d still been acquiring the basic foundation of knowledge. It was - invigorating.

“As for the Ministry controlling a public source of information, how far do you think any government could be trusted with something that could cause their society to call into question their mandates?” He raised his eyebrow and smirked.

“But yes, your right. Were there two such people as we have been discussing, they’re would be considerable grounds for an alliance. And were one of them interested in necessity for History to be taught as well as being an open resource, I think perhaps there may be even greater grounds.”

[shh_hermione]

"Yes, exactly!" Hermione was enjoying the discussion a lot, though she'd not let her guard down at all. She was still cautious and didn't trust Zabini, but one didn't have to trust another to have an interesting conversation. That was proven by her relationship, of sorts, with Rita Skeeter.

"One of my greatest fears is that this will be another incident that is pushed far from the public mind because people want to move on and forget," she said, face flushed as she excitedly discussed one of her passions. "But they can't because it's so important to remember and learn from the mistakes, as well as see what was done correctly and study it, learn it, and make sure it's known."

"Of course, the first step in learning is having the desire to learn," she continued. "There has to be that thirst for knowledge, the need to keep one's mind active, and, without it, no amount of books or information will be any use. In this world, too many people wanted to live in the past. I admire our world, and I'm part of it because of this wand and the magic within me, regardless of blood or family. Unfortunately, too many others could never look beyond that heritage of any Muggleborn to even want to learn from the events of the Muggle war. In a way, I understand wanting to preserve culture and heritage, but that can be done without enslaving or murdering entire groups of people. It can be done by everyone taking part and making things even better. Though, of course, I've been accused of being an idealist despite having a rather pragmatic attitude about such things."

She licked her lips and tapped her fingers against her thigh as she considered his comment. "Touche," she finally granted with just a slight quirk of her lips before she focused on the remainder of his words.

"An alliance could certainly be mutually beneficial for two such individuals if the terms and specifications met with their approval," she agreed. "And if the other of them happened to agree that teaching History was very important because of the necessity for knowledge and opportunity to learn from past mistakes, such a hypothetical agreement might be even more logical."