Chapter 3 - The Prefect's Private Quarters

The Christmas vacation had gone by so quickly, it seemed that classes had never really ended. Majie was struggling greatly through her classes due to their excess. She had picked up a History of Magic Final Year course, as well as Muggle Studies. And her Defense Against The Dark Arts class with Professor Moody, while somewhat enjoyable was becoming quite tiresome.

While in the library one afternoon she noticed Hermione and Victor Krum chatting happily. Her silly little breakfast chat with Ron, Fred and George flashed back in her head. It had been a while since she'd seen Ron, but she hoped she might catch him in the near future.

After what seemed like days, but was only a little over an hour, Majie packed up her books and set off towards Ravenclaw's common room.

Majie was deep in thought about her apparition exam, which was coming up at the end of her last year at Hogwarts. She had tried to practice, but was constantly afraid that she'd end up leaving a leg behind. Maybe end up miles away from her designated location on a remote island surrounded by enormous Quantapes bearing their ugly teeth, or land in a dragon's nest her mind wandered before she suddenly ran into something, no - someone. Her books flew everywhere before she herself fell backwards, landing hard on her bottom. She looked up and down the hallway, thankfully it was mostly deserted.

"You ok?" A familiar voice asked before a hand was extended down to help her up. She looked up to find a mop of red hair among a face full of tiny freckles. It was Ron. "Sorry about that, just got out of Divinitation, awful class, Trelawney was angry about Harry and I goofing off an' she asked him to stay behind after the bell, rotten woman gave us lots of extra homework." He flashed his pile of worksheets and star maps to her before he bent over and began picking up her strewn book and papers. "Like I said, real sorry" He suddenly paused. "It's Majie right?" She nodded and he continued. "What's your excuse, by the way?"

"Well, I was coming back from the library," she began helping Ron pick up the litter of papers across the floor, "got a lot of work and -"

"Muggle studies?" Ron cut her short, looking at one of the books she had picked up. "Hermione took that last year, dropped it 'cause she couldn't handle all the classes, don't see why she took it, she's muggle born and all, but ..'ey, why're you takin' it any ways?" He questioned.

"Well, see I'm hopin' to get into the Ministry of Magic, mainly want to be in the Improper Use of Magic Office, figure if Fred and George do open up that joke shop and get themselves in a bit of trouble they'll want a friend there. Because of that I need two years of Muggle Studies, minimum. Need to understand how muggles think and how to deal with the improper things that some wizards do to muggles, get it?" By this point all of Majie's books and papers were now off the floor and spread between Ron and Majie's arms. One side of Majie's robes had slipped off of her shoulder revealing a patch that seemed to be hidden reading: Majenta A. Loveoak, Prefect. With the Ravenclaw patch stamped into it.

"You're a prefect?" Ron took a slight step back, "but I always thought they were nerdy and constantly worried about rules?"

She smiled. "Not all of them, though I am a bit nerdy."

"Hah, hardly! More like.. brilliant!" He said dreamily, holding his right index finger up in the air.

Majie couldn't help but smile. "Thanks. Hey, I was on my way to put my books back in my room.. and since you seem to be holding half of them I was wondering if you'd mind helping?" She looking up at him, waiting for him to say 'no thanks' and dump the load back into her arms. To her surprise he shrugged and said "why not?" instead.

They walked quietly up to the Ravenclaw wing in Hogwarts, passing a painting of what looked like Ravenclaw's version of the fat lady, except it was a man. He had short gray hair and a tired smile, and was dressed in old bright blue wizard robes, a bit frilly and completely out of fashion.

"That's Sit Benton the Tired, seems to be getting a bit aged, always letting people use old passwords, even after they've been changed. Suppose he needs to retire." Majie said. Ron chuckled at this and they continued until they came upon a much smaller painting shortly after Sir Benton the Tired, which consisted of long extending fields of brightly colored flowers in nearly every color of the rainbow.

"Puddle puffs." Majie spoke. "Came up with that one myself." She said proudly.



"Wow," Ron's voice nearly failed him as he entered her room. He hadn't realized prefects got their own private rooms, he'd always heard Percy's mumbling but couldn't imagine such a splendid room. It was brightly lit with walls painted daisy yellow and had a large desk covered in books and papers as well as an even larger bed. There seemed to be an odd assortment of plants around the room (due to her Herbology studies) and a broomstick, which was leaning against the wall labeled 'Nimbus 2001.'

"You can set the books down over here." She gestured towards the already crowded desk, setting the books she held onto it as well. "Thanks a lot, these things can get very heavy at times."

"I bet," he eyed the desktop before continuing his glance around the room. He noticed behind the desk, nearly hidden by the stack of books was a small table with a chessboard on it and two small chairs on either side of the table.

She noticed him looking at the chessboard and smiled. "That one's my own. I like chess a lot, though my board is getting a bit old, pieces been broken one too many times I'd guess. Repairo!" She held up her want and shouted, and the broken pieces slowly became whole again."

"Cool. And the broom? Nimbus 2001?! I take it you're on the Ravenclaw house Quidditch team?"

"Was on it, course we're not having any Quidditch matches this year, and my last year as a chaser too!" She sighed. "Well I expect Harry and Hermione will be looking for you? Maybe we should be off?"

"Yes, thank you for showing me your room, maybe I'll look into becoming a prefect myself. Your own private room" Ron's mind drifted off into visions of utter silence and privacy, a room all his own.

"Yeah well it's not all that it's cracked up to be sometimes. Loads of work, hard to keep up with friends, but you're smart, I bet you'd make a fine prefect."

Ron beamed.

"I'll be seeing you later then, thanks a bunch for your help, you're very sweet."

"Well, I sorta knocked you over after all" He said blushing slightly.

"Nah it's nothing, thanks and I'll see you, maybe at dinner or something?"

"Ok," Ron turned to find Harry walking up the hallway and gave Majie one last good-bye before trotting up to meet Harry.

"Where've you been?" Harry smirked, watching the pretty brunette Ron had exited a private prefect bedroom with.

"Oh," Ron blushed, realizing what Harry much have been contemplating in his head. "It's nothing, just helping out a friend of Fred and George's."

"Since when did you start hanging around Fred and George's friends anyway?" Harry poked Ron.

"Oh you.. you just shut up!" He smirked. "Besides, she's different! She's a prefect!" He stated pointedly.

"A prefect? Ooh I see" Harry teased.

"Oh would you stop."

"Ok, ok." Harry gave up. "Never mind, besides, we promised to meet Hermione any ways. I looked everywhere for you after Trelawney yelled at us during Divinitation. Seems she didn't appreciate that I didn't die during my confrontation with the Hortail, seems to think I'm making her job harder or something." Ron gave a snort. "Any ways, Hermione, we've got to go meet her." Harry said as he and Ron headed in the direction of the Gryffindor tower, with Ron muttering something about house elf badges under his breath.