On the ninth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me... Title: Nine Kick-Ass Ladies Author: Lee West (lee_west) Fandom: Harry Potter Word Count: 100 Characters: Minerva, Molly, Fleur, Arabella, Augusta, Andromeda, Luna, Lily, Alice Challenge: Ninth Day of Christmas: Nine Kick-Ass Ladies Rating: PG Disclaimer: Me? Own any of this? Nah. I'm neither English nor rich.
Thanks to my friend Ceria for the beta.
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1. Minerva
Minerva's a strict person with a fondness for rules, and she's always careful not to show favoritism toward her own House.
She respects authority, if such authority deserves respect and has never been afraid to fight for what is right. During Umbridge's term as Headmistress, Minerva, like the other Professors, opted for passive-aggression rather than open confrontation. She is proud to have maintained her cool stance despite a burning desire to hex Dolores till tomorrow.
But she can't stay still when she sees Hagrid being attacked. She goes to his rescue, not caring that her own life is in danger.
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2. Molly
Molly had great teachers in her brothers: she learnt a lot just by watching them playing at dueling. Like them, she even wanted to have a career as an Auror when she was a child.
But in her sixth year, shy, sweet Arthur Weasley asked her to go to Hogsmeade with them and she traded her dreams of fighting for the reality of raising seven children.
All her childhood training came in handy, though, when she saw Bellatrix pointing the wand at Ginny. As Molly lifted her own wand, she could almost hear Gideon's and Fabian's voices egging her on.
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3. Fleur
She senses that Molly doesn't like her very much, but she really couldn't care less. It's not that she will marry her mother-in-law anyway.
Molly thinks she's dismissive, haughty and superficial, but Bill's mother doesn't know the real nature of Fleur Delacour. She's an intelligent woman with true grit – how could she be a Triwizard champion otherwise?
And she shows Molly her true colors when she sees the mauled face of once-handsome Bill. And sees reflected, in his eyes, the love he has for her.
A love she returns gladly, proud to be bonded to the bravest man she knows.
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4. Arabella
A Squib she might be, but she has a strong sense of duty. Not like certain wizards, who could be really good if they didn't spend their days in murky dealings instead of following the orders that were issued to them.
She has no defense against Dementors. She can't cast a Patronus and won't even be able to Apparate away if there's danger around. But she was asked to protect Harry, and protect him she will.
And then she'll whack that good-for-nothing Mundungus on the head with her umbrella, as many times as it takes so he learns his lesson.
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5. Augusta
An old lady should be easy prey for dark wizards. But those were a bunch of nincompoops, talent-less wizards that she would have defeated with a simple flick of her wand in her prime years.
Her reactions are slower, but her mind is sharp as ever. And she has a much stronger motivation than the Death Eaters: they're obeying Voldemort's orders, but she's fighting for Neville. And for her son and daughter-in-law, lost to the world forever.
Safe in her hiding place, she smirks, thinking about the punishment the Death Eaters will receive, for not having subdued an old lady.
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6. Andromeda
She survived the first war relatively unscathed. She, her husband and their young daughter were unharmed and Andromeda felt blessed.
This new war has an uglier twitch: her beloved Ted is not safe and Dora is a fighter. She has exposed herself to an even greater peril by marrying a dark creature. But Andromeda has faith that it will all turn all right this time, too.
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She buries her husband and then, together, her daughter and son-in-law. And she lifts her head even higher, holding baby Teddy in her arms.
At least, through their sacrifice, he won't see a war.
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7. Luna
She accepts the teasing and jeers from her classmates stoically, never wanting to fight back. She smiles when they hide her belongings and pretends not to notice that they call her 'Loony.' Instead of complaining, she carries on as before.
Luna is a pacifist, they say. She can take the abuse, because she'll never retaliate. She doesn't have it in her.
How surprising for the others to see Luna fighting side-by-side with Harry's supporters, never flinching, but casting spells with the precision of someone who knows she's doing the right thing.
Of someone who would do anything for a friend.
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8. Lily
If anyone could ask Lily what the most courageous act of her life was, she'd probably muse for a minute or so and then, laughing, would say it was the day she agreed to marry James Potter. Affectionately, she would claim, in a joking tone, that she was taking great risks in marrying a big-headed toerag, whose favorite pastime was to jinx people.
And what about defending Harry on the night she was killed? Why didn't she consider it the most courageous act of her life?
Without a blink, she'd reply that she'd only done what any mother would do.
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9. Alice
She tentatively shoves another bubble gum wrapper in the boy's hand. She doesn't know him, but she feels great love for him. He's nice and smiles at her.
The man who shares her room is very nice, too, and Alice also loves him. Near him she feels safe, somehow sure that he would never let harm come her way if he could avoid it.
Sometimes, in her dreams, she sees herself as a young woman, brandishing a wand, fighting for something she doesn't quite understand. But in her dreams the man and the young boy smile at her in approval.