p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;"Welcome to chapter 2! Please enjoy learning the parameters of this challenge and learning a bit more about Lily's personality. R/R please! I love feedback!/p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;"Disclaimer: All belongs to JKR/p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;"Chapter 2: An Unexpected Challenge /p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;""Welcome students to another year at Hogwarts."/p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;"Professor Dumbledores definitely lost some weight. And trimmed his long silver beard since last term. Good for him. I'm sure he was quite a fit looking bloke in his day. /p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;""I hope you all enjoyed the long summer and relaxed to prepare for the challenging year ahead of us. A few announcements for the start of term." /p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;"Here we go. I take a look at Marlene who is filing her long nails. She rolls her eyes back to me and sighs. /p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;"She's just as excited to hear the headmaster ban us from the Forbidden Forest (no shit) and to stop leaving clothes out of their hampers trying to free the house elves. /p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;""Professor Flitwick has taken leave to join Dorian Walleman in his study of the effects of Charms on different magical creatures. Professor Loras Quimby will be taking over Professor Flirwick's post of Charms in his absence. Please welcome Professor Quimby with a wholesome, Hogwarts applause." /p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;"What?!/p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;"I turn and stare manically at Dorcas who is shaking her head back and forth and has the pitiful look on her pretty face. Flitwick can't be gone this year! It's too close to NEWTs for him to leave! I'm his favorite student! I'm his embest/em student! /p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;"I crane my neck to get a look at his replacement. It's a tall, thin man who looks to be in his forties. He has salt and pepper hair and is wearing crisp blue velvet robes. /p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;"Dammit. He looks mean. /p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;""Secondly, I'd like to announce that seventh years Yasmine Blake of Ravenclaw and Shane Fairbanks of Slytherin have been appointed Head Girl and Head Boy for this term." /p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;"I turn around and scan the Slytherin table for Shane. His icy blue eyes land on mine and I shoot him a seductive wink. /p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;"He smirks and gives me a nod./p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;"We started going out at the end of last year and have been writing all summer long. /p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;"My owl wants me dead. I can just see it in her eyes every time I go near her. /p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;"He was my potions partner and we just kind of clicked. Shane was driven and intelligent and not at all hard to look at. /p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;"We decided to keep it a secret until the start of this year and had quite a hot and heavy reunion after the Prefects meeting before he ran off and left me alone in the back of the train. /p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;""In the past, I have collected recommendations from faculty and staff to decide on the two seventh year Heads. This year, however, is different. There will be a competition between all sixth year students to decide which two will be Heads together next term. All sixth years are required to participate, although, after each of the challenges the pool will be diminished significantly. There will be 7 challenges by the end of the year and the last two standing will gain the title of Heads. Sixth years, more information is to come via your Heads of House and the first challenge begins tonight. Good luck to you all and let us raise a goblet to another exciting term."/p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;""What did that old fucker say?" Marlene asked just a bit too loud. /p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;"The people around us shot her a dirty look before raising their goblets. Dumbledore loyalty runs deep with us Gryffindors. /p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;"I take a deep breath and close my eyes counting to ten. "I think he said this year just got much, much harder." /p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;"Being a prefect since last year, I know my place at Hogwarts. I am timely, passionate and fair and I know for a fact that I was in the running for Head Girl. /p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;"I mean, who else were they supposed to pick? Please./p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;"Now with Flitwick gone and a bloody tournament to gain the Head Girl title, I'm afraid I'm about to go into full panic mode. /p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;"(My panic mode consists of many cups of tea and turning into a competitive lunatic.) /p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;"She is not cute./p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;""I'm not going to be Head Girl!" Marlene shouted as we made our way through the portrait. "I am the last person this school want in charge of the House Points system. If they want me to compete then they're crazy."/p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;""I don't know. It could be fun and a little different. I'm not a prefect and I was so upset when I realized that meant I could never be head. My mum was Head Girl."/p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;""And my mum was a groupie for some band called "The Blazing Merpeople" when she was our age. And look at us now, Dora. We are in the exact same spot." /p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;"Dorcas rolled her eyes and continued up to the girls' dormitory. /p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;""Lily, what do you think? I know you've wanted this title since you found out it even existed." /p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;""I'm really happy everyone gets a chance, really—"/p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;""No, you're not," Marlene replies dryly. /p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;"Damn her./p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;""Okay, fine! Of course I'm upset! I should be Head Girl! I've earned it!" /p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;""Lils, I dont even know what you're worried about. I'm sure you'll do just fine throughout the challenges."/p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;""Of course I'll succeed, marls. The pool just got much bigger than I had once thought it would be. Anyways it's not like prefects won't be given a hgher status during the year. I mean, it'd be completely unfair to undermine our hard work."/p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;""Do you actually think you'll get a hall pass for being a prefect? Dumbledore sounded pretty sincere in his promise that this was an opportunity for emeveryone/em."/p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;""Everyone, yes. But also especially the prefects." /p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;"Marlene rolled her eyes and rubbed her temples. "Don't go all drama queen on me today. I really can't handle it right now." /p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;""Evans? A drama queen? Nooooo." Potter strolled up to our spot on the armchairs and leaned his hip on my seat. "How is Miss Perfect taking the news? Scared?"/p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;""The only fear I have is that you will somehow trick and scheme your way into becoming Head Boy. And with luck like that, I will have lost the competition and you boss me around all day to compliment your hair and clean your muddied Quidditch robes."/p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;"Potter smiled and wrapped his arm around my shoulder. "Have you been reading my dream journal, Evans? That is word for word, really." /p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;"I groan and shrug him off. "Good luck Potter," I say as I leave for the Heads of Houses meeting, "You're going to need it." /p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;"I walk back into the Great Hall where all of the Heads of Houses are situated at the front. Professor Slughorn for Slytherin, Professor Quimby is substituting for Ravenclaw, Professor Oakley for Hufflepuff and Professor McGonagall for Gryffindor. /p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;"I sit down at the Gryffindor table and chat with Marlene until Dorcas arrives. /p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;""Thanks for waiting for me," she mumbles sarcastically. /p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;"I rub her back and apologize explaining the Potter conversation. /p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;"Speak of the devil. /p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;"The Marauders stroll in and right after Remus scuffled over the threshold of the room, the doors slam shut violently. /p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;""Sixth year students!" McGonagall yells. "You are the first half of your year to arrive in the Great Hall and the only students in this room who have the pleasure of moving forward to the next challenge to become next year's Head Boy and Head Girl."/p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;"Well, let the reindeer games begin. /p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;"Disclaimer: All belongs to JKR/p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;"Chapter 2: An Unexpected Challenge /p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;""Welcome students to another year at Hogwarts."/p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;"Professor Dumbledores definitely lost some weight. And trimmed his long silver beard since last term. Good for him. I'm sure he was quite a fit looking bloke in his day. /p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;""I hope you all enjoyed the long summer and relaxed to prepare for the challenging year ahead of us. A few announcements for the start of term." /p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;"Here we go. I take a look at Marlene who is filing her long nails. She rolls her eyes back to me and sighs. /p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;"She's just as excited to hear the headmaster ban us from the Forbidden Forest (no shit) and to stop leaving clothes out of their hampers trying to free the house elves. /p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;""Professor Flitwick has taken leave to join Dorian Walleman in his study of the effects of Charms on different magical creatures. Professor Loras Quimby will be taking over Professor Flirwick's post of Charms in his absence. Please welcome Professor Quimby with a wholesome, Hogwarts applause." /p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;"What?!/p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;"I turn and stare manically at Dorcas who is shaking her head back and forth and has the pitiful look on her pretty face. Flitwick can't be gone this year! It's too close to NEWTs for him to leave! I'm his favorite student! I'm his embest/em student! /p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;"I crane my neck to get a look at his replacement. It's a tall, thin man who looks to be in his forties. He has salt and pepper hair and is wearing crisp blue velvet robes. /p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;"Dammit. He looks mean. /p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;""Secondly, I'd like to announce that seventh years Yasmine Blake of Ravenclaw and Shane Fairbanks of Slytherin have been appointed Head Girl and Head Boy for this term." /p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;"I turn around and scan the Slytherin table for Shane. His icy blue eyes land on mine and I shoot him a seductive wink. /p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;"He smirks and gives me a nod./p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;"We started going out at the end of last year and have been writing all summer long. /p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;"My owl wants me dead. I can just see it in her eyes every time I go near her. /p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;"He was my potions partner and we just kind of clicked. Shane was driven and intelligent and not at all hard to look at. /p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;"We decided to keep it a secret until the start of this year and had quite a hot and heavy reunion after the Prefects meeting before he ran off and left me alone in the back of the train. /p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;""In the past, I have collected recommendations from faculty and staff to decide on the two seventh year Heads. This year, however, is different. There will be a competition between all sixth year students to decide which two will be Heads together next term. All sixth years are required to participate, although, after each of the challenges the pool will be diminished significantly. There will be 7 challenges by the end of the year and the last two standing will gain the title of Heads. Sixth years, more information is to come via your Heads of House and the first challenge begins tonight. Good luck to you all and let us raise a goblet to another exciting term."/p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;""What did that old fucker say?" Marlene asked just a bit too loud. /p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;"The people around us shot her a dirty look before raising their goblets. Dumbledore loyalty runs deep with us Gryffindors. /p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;"I take a deep breath and close my eyes counting to ten. "I think he said this year just got much, much harder." /p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;"Being a prefect since last year, I know my place at Hogwarts. I am timely, passionate and fair and I know for a fact that I was in the running for Head Girl. /p
p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545; min-height: 14px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;"I mean, who else were they supposed to pick? Please./p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;"Now with Flitwick gone and a bloody tournament to gain the Head Girl title, I'm afraid I'm about to go into full panic mode. /p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;"(My panic mode consists of many cups of tea and turning into a competitive lunatic.) /p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;"She is not cute./p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;""I'm not going to be Head Girl!" Marlene shouted as we made our way through the portrait. "I am the last person this school want in charge of the House Points system. If they want me to compete then they're crazy."/p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;""I don't know. It could be fun and a little different. I'm not a prefect and I was so upset when I realized that meant I could never be head. My mum was Head Girl."/p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;""And my mum was a groupie for some band called "The Blazing Merpeople" when she was our age. And look at us now, Dora. We are in the exact same spot." /p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;"Dorcas rolled her eyes and continued up to the girls' dormitory. /p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;""Lily, what do you think? I know you've wanted this title since you found out it even existed." /p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;""I'm really happy everyone gets a chance, really—"/p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;""No, you're not," Marlene replies dryly. /p
p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545; min-height: 14px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;"Damn her./p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;""Okay, fine! Of course I'm upset! I should be Head Girl! I've earned it!" /p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;""Lils, I dont even know what you're worried about. I'm sure you'll do just fine throughout the challenges."/p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;""Of course I'll succeed, marls. The pool just got much bigger than I had once thought it would be. Anyways it's not like prefects won't be given a hgher status during the year. I mean, it'd be completely unfair to undermine our hard work."/p
p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545; min-height: 14px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;""Do you actually think you'll get a hall pass for being a prefect? Dumbledore sounded pretty sincere in his promise that this was an opportunity for emeveryone/em."/p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;""Everyone, yes. But also especially the prefects." /p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;"Marlene rolled her eyes and rubbed her temples. "Don't go all drama queen on me today. I really can't handle it right now." /p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;""Evans? A drama queen? Nooooo." Potter strolled up to our spot on the armchairs and leaned his hip on my seat. "How is Miss Perfect taking the news? Scared?"/p
p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545; min-height: 14px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;""The only fear I have is that you will somehow trick and scheme your way into becoming Head Boy. And with luck like that, I will have lost the competition and you boss me around all day to compliment your hair and clean your muddied Quidditch robes."/p
p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545; min-height: 14px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;"Potter smiled and wrapped his arm around my shoulder. "Have you been reading my dream journal, Evans? That is word for word, really." /p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;"I groan and shrug him off. "Good luck Potter," I say as I leave for the Heads of Houses meeting, "You're going to need it." /p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;"I walk back into the Great Hall where all of the Heads of Houses are situated at the front. Professor Slughorn for Slytherin, Professor Quimby is substituting for Ravenclaw, Professor Oakley for Hufflepuff and Professor McGonagall for Gryffindor. /p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;"I sit down at the Gryffindor table and chat with Marlene until Dorcas arrives. /p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;""Thanks for waiting for me," she mumbles sarcastically. /p
p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545; min-height: 14px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;"I rub her back and apologize explaining the Potter conversation. /p
p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545; min-height: 14px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;"Speak of the devil. /p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;"The Marauders stroll in and right after Remus scuffled over the threshold of the room, the doors slam shut violently. /p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;""Sixth year students!" McGonagall yells. "You are the first half of your year to arrive in the Great Hall and the only students in this room who have the pleasure of moving forward to the next challenge to become next year's Head Boy and Head Girl."/p
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p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545;"Well, let the reindeer games begin. /p
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