For my own Decisions challenge, though I ignored the Options... 703 words
Decisions, Decisions, Decisions…
"We are agreed then? Cecilia Brocklehurst and Amos Diggory shall be our Head Girl and Head Boy?" Minerva McGonagall, Hogwarts' Deputy Headmistress glanced round at her colleagues for affirmation. They nodded.
"They'll work well together. And with us. They're fair, hardworking and reliable." Pomona Sprout spoke up among murmurs of assent. Minerva inclined her head and made a note on a scrap of parchment before turning to her list of the upcoming Fifth Years.
"Now then, Prefects. I'm sure you all have your candidates chosen. For the Gryffindors, I'm thinking of Brenda McLaggan and Jack Spinnet. Any objections?"
"Well, I've no problem with Jack, but Brenda can be somewhat arrogant anyway. We don't want to give her any more reason to lord it over the others." Flitwick pointed out.
"Very well, Fillius. You might have a point. Who would you choose instead, if not Brenda?"
"What about Hayley Bell? She's good friends with Cecilia, I know. Her sister's in the same year and the three of them spend quite some time together."
"I'd agree, if she wasn't such a troublemaker."
"Oh, don't be ridiculous, Minerva. I admit she used to be a little mischievous, but she's reformed in the last year or two. Give her the badge; it'll reward her for turning over a new leaf."
"Well…if you're all determined," one quick look told Minerva that they were. She sighed, "I can't fight you all. Hayley Bell it shall be."
She noted the names on her scrap of parchment and then brought up the Ravenclaws. The choices for this house, Teresa Goldenberg and Peter Finch-Fletchley were unanimous, as were the Hufflepuff Prefects – Jamila Saschwan and Gerald Hopper. They were brought up, discussed and agreed upon in a matter of minutes. Then it came to discussing the Slytherins.
"And now we'd better discuss the Slytherins. Horace, it's your House. Do you have any ideas?"
"I'm thinking of Aristeus Selwyn and Bellatrix Black."
"Not Bellatrix Black. Never in a million years. She's far too hot-tempered. She'll abuse her power. You know she will."
"I understand your concern, Minerva, but she's not openly any worse than any other girl in her Year. Not among the Slytherins, at any rate. Besides which, academically, she's the cleverest in the year. If we're agreeing to make Aristeus Prefect, then we've no reason not to do the same to her."
"Except her temper. Horace, please. I'm asking you to reconsider. Why not choose Viola Greengrass or Livia Malfoy? At least they can control their emotions in public."
"So can the Blacks," Horace pointed out. He swung round, forcing each of his colleagues to look him in the eye as he asked them, "Have any of you actually ever caught Bellatrix in the act of wrongdoing?"
"No, but it's not…"
"There you are then. You've no legitimate reason to refuse her the badge."
"Horace, if this is about appeasing Cygnus Black, we can make Andromeda Prefect when the time comes. She's far more suited to the role of Prefect than her sister. Don't tell me that you can't admit that."
"I can't, but Bellatrix is Lord Black's favourite," Horace used Cygnus's title deliberately, hoping to remind his colleagues just how much influence the family had in Wizarding Britain, "And Lord Black is our Head Governor. We already defied him when we named Dumbledore Headmaster. We can't afford to do it again. Whether we like it or not, his family is the Purest in Britain. Since Slytherin lays so much importance on blood purity, there is not a single girl in the Fifth Year who could legitimately be made Prefect ahead of Bellatrix Black. We have no choice, Minerva."
"There's always a choice," the other witch retorted, but then she sighed, "I can't change your mind, can I, Horace?"
"No."
"Very well, it's your House. I wish you'd learn to withstand Cygnus Black, but since you won't, on your head be it."
Minerva jotted down the names again and then turned back to the room at large.
"Very well then. We are agreed. The new Prefects shall be Jack Spinnet and Hayley Bell, Peter Finch-Fletchley and Teresa Goldenberg, Gerald Hopper and Jamilia Saschwan and Aristeus Selwyn and Bellatrix Black."