Chapter Thirteen: Thoughts of a Prefect
Disclaimer: Wouldn't it be cool if I owned Harry Potter? Too bad its not true.
A/N: This is your fluff warning. I highly advise that if you do not have a stomach for the stuff then you take some Pepto Bismal to keep your lunch down. Parts of this chapter are a bit fluffy. Sorry, but I was in the mood. Consider yourself warned.
The week leading up to the Winter Ball was a particularly stressful one for Reagan. The Saturday before her last week, Gryffindor played Hufflepuff. The won easily; both their Seeker and Keepers were small and timid second years. End of term exams followed during the week, along with four library study sessions, two with Cal and Josie and two with Trevor. The Ball was Friday evening, and the students going home for Christmas were leaving on the following Saturday morning. Reagan found it incredibly stressful to have to study and take exams on top of packing for the holidays on top of worrying about the Ball.
It was Thursday evening and Reagan had just gotten back from a study session with Trevor. He turned out to know a lot about Arithmancy and Ancient Ruins, and he was able to explain some things better than her professors.
Reagan walked into the common room, in a very good mood, feeling very prepared for her arithmancy exam the next morning and was surprised to find Cal and Josie sitting on opposite sides of the common room glaring at each other.
"Josie?" Reagan asked, approaching her friend.
"Oh your back," Josie said, not looking up from her text book.
"Whats wrong?" Reagan asked. "Why are over here when Cal is over there?"
"I don't know!" Josie exclaimed. "Why donÕt you ask him?!"
Reagan hadn't seen much of her friends the past few weeks, from Quidditch practice to studying, she had been preoccupied. Shedecided not to push her luck with Josie. She sat down next to her to wait for her friend to start talking. Josie was bent over a particularly large book and Reagan recognized it immediately as their Potions text book.
"Josie, why are you studying for Potions?" Reagan asked. "We took that exam this morning."
Josie glanced up from her book and looked at Reagan, her eyes filling with tears.
"Oh," she said quietly and put the book down before running up the stairs towards their dormitory.
"What was that about?" Reagan asked Cal. She got up and walked towards the stairs wouldn't.
He shrugged. "I don't know, all I did was ask her a question and then she got all mad and defensive and wouldn't talk to me."
"What did you ask her?"
"Oh, I, um..." Cal blushed. "I asked her to go to the Ball with me."
"Oh," Reagan replied, trying to hide her smile. "I'll go talk to her then." Turning, she followed Josie up the stairs and into their dormitory, where she found her crying on her bed.
"Josie?" Reagan asked, cautiously. She dropped her book bag by her own bed and moved slowly towards the other bed. She say down and rubbed her hand over Josie's back, trying to calm her down.
"Accio!" Reagan said, pointing her wand at the pitcher of water by the window and then at a water glass. She caught both things before they crashed into her head and pored a glass of water.
"Josie, please sit up and drink this."
"I don't want to," came her muffled voice. "I don't want to talk about it."
"Yes you do," Reagan replied, pulling her up. "Come on, what happened why I was gone?" Josie drank the water and sighed, calming herself down.
"Cal and I were studying for Charms in the common room. We started arguing about something, and then yelled at me."
"What did he yell?" Reagan asked.
"He...he said 'Will you go to the Ball with me?'" Josie replied. "And then I grabbed the book closest to me, which was apparently my Potions book, and I moved to the other side of the room."
"Why was it so bad that he asked you to the dance?"
"I don't know," Josie replied. "I guess it isn't. But it s just kinda, I don't know... weird in a way. I mean last year we all all went, but none of us ahd dates, we went as a couple of friends. And this year you have Trevor--"
"I do not have Trevor!"
"-- and I guess I was expecting to go the Ball with Cal, but just not as a date."
"Well you don't have to look at it as a date," Reagan said. "I mean, you are both friends, and nothing more, right?"
Josie thought for a moment, her face growing a bit red.
"We're just friends," she finally replied.
"So then you're doing the same thing you were doing last year, going to the dance with your friend."
"I guess you're right," Josie said and managed a weak smile at Reagan. "But I don't think Cal will want to go with me anymore."
"And why is that?" Reagan asked.
"Well, I stormed off and didn't say anything to him," Josie replied. "I'll bet he hates me now."
Reagan laughed. "Josie, Cal does not hate you." Quite the opposite, Reagan thought. "Go downstairs and talk to him. Apologize for storming off and tell him that if he still wants to, you would like to go to the Ball with him."
Josie nodded. "All right." Josie got up and gave Reagan a hug before going back down stairs. Reagan hug around in her room for a couple minutes, enough to give them time to talk. When she was sure she heard their laughter she went back to the common room to join them.
"Hey where have you been?" Josie asked as Reagan came down the stairs. Josie was sitting next to Cal on a large squishy sofa, a large book between them, looking at her like nothing had happened.
"I was just putting my books away," Reagan lied. Josie nodded and looked back at book. Reagan sighed and shook her head. It would be years before she udnerstood her own friends.
It took Reagan a little longer than she had planned to get ready, though she did take more time on her hair and makeup than she had the previous year. Trevor was originally going to wait outside the Gryffindor common room, but Reagan asked Josie to let him inside. She could hear him talking to Darenn at the base of the stairs, and she took deep breaths to calm herself down.
Why am I so nervous? she thought, breathing deeply.
"Its just Trevor. He's just a friend," Reagan said outloud to no one. But you don't get excited when you see Cal walking down the hall like you do with Trevor. Reagan shook her head and stepped down onto the first step.
"So Trevor, what do you have planned with my sister?" Darenn asked.
Reagan froze.
"I'm not sure what you mean," Trevor replied.
"Well, she's my younger sister, and you've been spending time with her, and you're taking her to this dance, and well, I was just wondering what you mean to do with her."
"Darenn, I have the up most respect for your sister," Trevor replied. "I don't have anything but the best intentions for Reagan."
Darenn chuckled. "You'd better."
"Come on, Darenn," Trevor said. "Am I the kind of guy thats going to flirt and give smooth lines and take advantage of girls?"
"Not at all, which is surprising out of a Slytherin," Darenn replied. "Fact I can't think of the last girl you've dated."
Dated? Reagan thought. I'm not dating Trevor.
"It's because I haven't dated anyone," Trevor replied. "I'm not really dating Reagan either. We're just friends."
Reagan smiled, and walked down the stairs. Darenn was standing in black dress robes, Avery Valentine standing next to him in shimmering red dress robes, her hand on his arm. Darenn looked up and smiled at her, and Trevor, following his gaze, looked up and stared.
"Hi," Reagan said.
"Hi," Trevor managed to say, in between running his eyes up and down her, making her blush. Reagan's cream dress robes clung nicely to her body, accenting the shapely figure she had acquired over the summer during Quidditch training.
"I hope you weren't waiting long," Reagan said.
He shook his head. "Not at all. You look amazing."
"Thank you," Reagan replied, blushing. "You look good too."
And he did. He didn't play Quidditch, but he looked like he did. He was strong, with broad shoulders and a nicely shaped back. His navy dress robes accented the color of his eyes.
"Shall we?" he asked, offering her his arm.
"Certainly," she replied and he lead her out of the common room. Josie and Cal had gone a head to the dance; Darenn and Avery were walking along behind them.
The Winter Ball was held in the Great Hall. There was a huge Christmas tree where the Professor's table usually sat, and candles hung in the air, suspended and flickering, like a light breeze was blowing through. Circular tables were set up along the perimeter of the room, and near the doors, and a large wooden dance floor was in the middle, where students were dancing. The dance was allowed to third years and above, though all students had to have a signed permission slip to attend.
Reagan spotted Cal and Josie sitting at a table, and seemed to be holding seats for them.
"We can sit with them, if you'd like," Trevor said, looking at her.
"We can sit with your friends," Reagan said. "We don't have to sit with mine."
"I don't mind."
"Really?" Reagan asked, smiling. "Thanks." They made their way over to the table and sat down, Reagan next to Josie.
"How are you doing?" Josie asked her, under her breath."
"Fine," Reagan replied. "And you?"
"Fine," Josie said. Both girls smiled in the same knowing way that said that everything was perfect.
They ordered off the menus and their food appeared moments later upon their plates. Reagan and Trevor their meals and watched Josie and Cal try to get through a diner without arguing.
As they swallowed their last bites, their plates cleared and music started. Reagan glanced around and saw a band of four wizards, on stage near the Professor's table, their music magically amplified.
As she took a tip of her pumpkin juice, Reagan caught Trevor's eye and he nodded towards the dance floor.
"Would you care to dance?" he asked, offering his hand.
"I would love to," she replied. He lead her to the area in the middle of the tables where students were beginning to gather and dance. Reagan was impressed that he didn't step on her toes, and laughed as Trevor twirled her around.
Reagan and Trevor spent most of the evening dancing, before Cal cut in to dance with Reagan and Trevor danced with a blushing Josie. The four swapped partners again before returning to their table for pumpkin juice.
Reagan watched the dancing couples, some looking uncomfortable, some looking completely content. She saw Avery laugh after Darenn whispered something in her ear and saw Caitlin smiling at Nicholas Finch-Fletchy as they passed by. Numerous other Gryffindors came by to wish Reagan a Merry Christmas, and also to congratulate her on her amazing goals during the Hufflepuff game. Reagan smiled and thanked then, wondering what else they expected her to do but throw the Quaffle into the goals.
"You've quite modest," Trevor said as Gryffindor sixth years, Jake Briggs and Jill Thomas, walked away.
"How am I modest?" Reagan asked. "I did what a Chaser was supposed to do."
"Yeah, but your forgetting the part where the score was three hundred to forty. And minus the hundred fifty points from Josie's catch, that still leaves another hundred fifty, and one hundred and twenty of those points were yours alone."
"Not alone," Reagan replied. "I had help from my fellow Chasers, from my team."
Trevor laughed. "I know, I know. You still won't even admit that you made twelve goals."
"All right I'll admit I made ruddy twelve goals," Reagan admitted. "But I had assistance."
"That works for me," Trevor said and checked his watch. "The dance has to about over."
As the finished his sentence, the music stopped and Professor Lupin bid them all good night. Trevor walked Reagan back to her dormitory, having to stop a few times along the way and usher younger students along, and stop a few from swallowing each other's tongues. But the time the portrait of the Fat Lady was in sight there was no one else in the hall.
"Thank you for inviting me," Reagan said as they approached the entrance to the Gryffindor common room.
"It was my pleasure," Trevor replied. "Thank you for coming with me."
"I had a great time," she said.
"I did too."
"Well, I hope I'll see you on the train," she said.
"You definitely will," he replied. "I'll make sure to find you."
Reagan smiled. "Well, good night."
Trevor didn't say anything, he just stared at her with a look in his eye that made Reagan melt. Slowly, he moved his hand to her face and traced the line of her jaw ever so slightly, pulling her closer to him.
HeÕs going to kiss me!
As his lips brushed hers, she felt the most amazing feelings of excitement and happiness. After a few moments, Trevor pulled away and smiled at her.
"Good night," he replied and kissed her forehead. With another dreamy smile he walked down the hall to his own dormitory, leaving Reagan a bit stunned.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
"JOSIAN MALFOY GET OUT OF BED THIS INSTANT!" Reagan roared at her best friend.
"You are going to miss the school train!" Caitlin squealed.
Josie pulled her sheets over her head, not wanting to wake up.
With the aid of Caitlin, Reagan pulled the sheets off of the bed, exposing Josie to the chilly morning air.
"Reagan!" Josie cried. "Its cold!"
"It wouldn't be cold if you got out of bed and got dressed," Reagan replied. "Come on, we have to be in the entrance hall in twenty minutes."
With a huff, Josie got out of bed, and began to dress, mumbling about how she would braid her hair on the train. Reagan sighed and pulled her own trunk out of the room, and down the stairs to the common room. Minutes later, Josie came down the stairs, her trunk thunking along behind her.
"Come on," Reagan said to her. "You've already missed breakfast."
"Sorry," Josie grumbled.
"Why didn't you wake up?" Reagan asked. "We'd been trying to wake you for ten minutes."
Josie shrugged. "I dunno, I was dreaming I guess."
Dreaming, Reagan thought. What was it I dreamt last night? Then an image came into her thoughts, so horrible that she shook her head out get rid of it.
"Well you can eat on the train," Reagan said to her. Josie nodded and walked silently with her down to the entrance hall. After waiting for a few minutes they got into their carriage and Josie's head flopped sleepily against the window.
"Where's Cal?" Josie asked suddenly.
"We left before we did," Reagan replied. "He's probably many carriages ahead of us. He said he'd get us a compartment."
"Oh," Josie replied and her head fell back against the window. A few minutes later they got out of the carriage and onto the train, pulling their trunks along behind them. Reagan spotted Cal in a compartment in the middle of the train and he helped each of the store their trunks. Josie sat braiding her hair as the remaining students boarded the train and tied it with a black ribbon before dropping her head onto the side of the compartment.
"She woke up late," Reagan told Cal when he looked at her questionably. He nodded and pulled a book out of his bag. Reagan let Eclipse out of her basket and ran her finger across her fur as the train pulled out of Hogsmead Station.
Reagan fought to stay awake for two reasons. For one, she wanted to see Trevor when he came by to say hello. And the second reason was because the last time she was on a train, she fell asleep and met Professor Lockhart before she met in im person.
Caitlin came by and asked who was meeting Reagan and Darenn at Kings Cross and Reagan didn't know. Reagan looked back at her book, not really caring if the characters in her book got together at the end.
She heard the door slid open again and looked up to see Trevor smiling at her.
"Hi," she said, putting her book down.
"Hi," he replied. "Having a good morning?"
Reagan rolled her eyes. "Miss Malfoy over here-" Reagan nodded towards Josie's sleeping form, "-didn't want to wake up. We practically had to drag her out of bed."
Trevor laughed. "Late night, was it?"
"Not any later than mine," Reagan replied. They both seemed to remember their kiss at that moment because they both looked away from each other, blushing.
"Are you going anywhere over break?" Reagan asked.
Trevor shook his head. "Nah, we just stay at home, its normally just myself, my aunt and uncle. How about you?"
"We're going to the ballet," Reagan said. "And my father and I are..." Reagan trailed off, looking at Josie and Cal, not wanting to say anything about her Connection. "We're going to spend some quality time together. He's going to help me with some problems I have with magic."
"Problems?" Trevor asked.
"You know, sometimes I have trouble connecting my emotions to my magic," Reagan replied.
"Ah," Trevor replied, nodding to confirm he knew what she was talking about. "Well the ballet will be fun."
"My Aunt Hermione makes us go each year," Reagan said. "I've seen the Nutcracker eight times. It's a Muggle thing, but my mother loves it too."
"Sometimes the Muggles have good ideas," Trevor said.
"Steven!" came a girl's voice from the hall. "Give it back." Trevor turned to see what the problem was and caught a dark haired boy around the middle.
"Whoa there, Steven," Trevor said, holding the first year Ravenclaw back.
"He took my toad!" the girl's voice said. Reagan leaned over to see who it was and smiled when she saw Laura Longbottom.
"Mr. Kelly, do you have her toad?" Trevor asked.
"I found it in the hall and didn't know it was her's," Steven replied.
"Yes you did! You lured Teddy Bear out into the hallway after I told you you couldn't see him!" Laura yelled at him. Reagan thought the thing she was holding looked like any thing but teddy bear.
"Is that true?" Trevor asked, looking from Laura to Steven.
Steven hung his head. "Yes, its true. Here's your stupid toad back."
"Thank you," Laura huffed, taking her toad back.
"If she said no, that normally means you can't see her toad," Trevor said to Steven. "I think Miss Longbottom deserves an apology."
"Sorry, Laura," Steven said.
"Its okay," Laura said.
"Are you going to take any points off of me?" Steven asked, eyeing Trevor's Prefect pin.
"Nah," Trevor said, and Steven's face lit up. "Its almost Christmas. But if I catch you stealing her toad again, I'll take double the points off."
"Thanks!" Steven said.
"Come on, Steven," Laura said. "You can play with me and my toad."
"Okay!" Steven followed her down the hall and out of sight. "That was nice of you," Reagan said. "Not taking points off of Ravenclaw."
"Yeah, well," Trevor said. "It is almost Christmas."
"It was still nice."
"Well, sometimes it is hard, especially when I'm in bad mood," Trevor said. "Then I want to take fifty points off of everyone. You'll see how its like when you're a Prefect."
Reagan laughed. "Like that'll happen!"
"You never know," Trevor said, raising an eyebrow at her. "Well, I've got to get back to patrolling the halls."
"All right," she said, a little disappointed he was leaving.
"If I don't see you before we get off the train, have a nice holiday."
"You too."
He smiled and closed the compartment door, leaving Reagan to wonder. Would I be made a Prefect? She had never really thought about it. Caitlin and Ethan were also in her year and in her house, so they could be made Prefects. James was a Prefect for two years before he was Head Boy, and Darenn was a Prefect this year.
Reagan shook her head, she didn't want to think about that right now. She settled back into her book and was able to finish it as the train came to a stop at Kings Cross.
A/N: In the middle of writing this chapter (or more towards the end), "Order of the Pheonix" came out. For those of you who haven't read it, I won't let anything important out, but I realize now why a lot of people were scrambling to get their fics done before "Order of the Pheonix" came out. It was interesting to read the official fifth year story, and realize what things were predicted in fan fiction, and what things we were not prepared for. Personally, the death in Book 5 hit me hard because that was my favorite character. I'm of course going to continue writing my fics, as they don't take place in Harry's fifth year, though it is odd to know that parts of mine out terribly out of cannon now. Oh well, we all expected this right? Read and review please, your thoughts on things are always welcome. ~EE
