A/N: Deary me, haven't done a disclaimer for a while, have I? Well I don't make money from this and I don't own any of the stuff. That covers my backside a little if JK. Decides she doesn't like me messing with her stuff…Anyway I hope you like what I'm doing. Feedback is muchly appreciated though, so if you do read, PLEASE review. Love you all.

Another damn prefect meeting, more trying to determine if Harry had gone crazy yet, and now Ron was starting to doubt his own sanity. Hermione hissed at him to hurry up while she ran her wand down a groove in the frame of Pheidias Boonwallow's portrait. He loped the next few yards to catch up and they entered together, earning a sneer of contempt from Malfoy.

Ron returned it. The bastard got all he deserved. The rumours regarding Ginny's strange behaviour towards the Slytherin prefect had not passed him by completely. Ginny had got pretty wild all of a sudden, he thought. His sister was developing some weird tastes all right. Damn, he was thinking like Percy…

Abruptly he was brought back to earth by professor MacGonagall clearing her throat, "I'm sorry to have to inform you that professor Dumbledore will not be leading this prefect meeting since he's away on business with the Ministry this afternoon. Instead your heads of house will be advising you on prefect issues for the week, Gryffindors will please follow me to my office. As for the rest of you, your respective heads of house will be here in a moment to deal with you."

The two senior Gryffindor prefects smiled encouragingly at their younger counterparts as MacGonagall led them out into the corridor, around the corner and up to her office. Once seated they were issued with shortbread from its traditional tartan tin and, crumbs eliminated, the meeting began.

She turned to the junior prefects, still novices to their position, "So – Miss Blomfield, Mr Creevy – how have you been coping with your roles this last week?"Miss Blomfield, whose unfortunate first name was Creusa, looked to the loquacious Colin, "Um, Colin?"

"Um, well, Creusa and I set the Gryffindor passwords for the week and I don't think anyone forgot them…and we did a library patrol, that went ok. Oh yes! And Creusa had to take someone to the hospital wing, didn't you, Cruz?" The short-haired girl nodded, "Yes, a first year fainted during the Quidditch match when Potter pulled that move."

Minerva frowned at the memory. It had certainly looked as if Potter had been about to get himself splattered across the Gryffindor stands for a moment. If not for the lightning reactions of Hermione Granger and, strangely perhaps, Isla Kittson, he certainly might have done so. Potter had been facing two bludgers at once after a clever Slytherin beater tactic caught him unguarded. He had plunged towards the stands in a massive dive, hoping to pull up at the last second in order to evade them. At the last second he lost control and was thrown headlong from his Firebolt. The demon had cushioned his fall while Hermione had performed a perfect transmutation of the bludgers in mid-flight, turning them into novelty bunny slippers. Incredible – snapping herself back into the room, Minerva regarded her senior prefects approvingly, "Miss Granger your quick thinking and attention to your fellow pupils has already put us ahead in the stakes for the House cup this year, your reference to the University is going to be incandescent at this rate, not just glowing. As for you Mr Weasley – " she turned on a very confused Ron, "Your efforts as Gryffindor goal-keeper has earned you a lot of recognition especially in the younger years, you have quite a following. In fact the team and I have already agreed that you should be made Gryffindor Quidditch captain."

Ron could scarcely believe what he was hearing and sat in his seat, astounded and quite speechless. After a few splutters he gabbled, "Me? What can I say I mean well, thanks! I'm gobsmacked."

His freckles were drowned beneath a sea of red that flooded his entire face. Both Hermione and MacGonagall had to rein in their sentimental instincts to pat him on the head. Getting things back under control, Minerva MacGonagall started again,

"Coming back to prefect matters for this week," she stated firmly, "There have been alleged abuses of the prefects' bathroom. If anyone is caught misusing their prefect's privileges they will find themselves having to clean the entire bathroom from top to bottom daily by hand, the self-cleaning charms having first been removed."

Ron could only guess what Draco might get up to in that bathroom, the deviant…

"Back to House issues, although Gryffindor seems relatively healthy, I think there has been too much of an air of tension recently. What I propose is a small party for the members of the house just to lighten the atmosphere a little. I wouldn't make it a regular occurrence but I think it is necessary, even this early on in the term."

Creusa and Colin glanced at eachother, visibly enthused by the idea. Next to them the senior tried hard not to feel so cynical, but agreed with MacGonagall anyway. The house needed it, they supposed.

MacGonagall decided to 'end' the meeting on this note, taking an opportunity to surreptitiously call Hermione and Ron back for a word regarding their Transfiguration homework.

"I know it's forced," she stated wearily, "but it's as if the life of the school has just been sucked away. If we carry on in this way then we will have let them win. We cannot let ourselves become demoralised by their tactics."

They nodded lamely. True as it was, Hermione still felt that a party was a futile effort to raise the spirits of the disillusioned Gryffindors.

After a few strained inquiries into Harry's mental and physical health, Minerva MacGonagall dropped a final bombshell…

"Professor – "

"I am being perfectly serious Miss Granger, sit down…"

"But Professor!"

The head of Gryffindor house fixed Hermione with her most unmoving of gazes until the impassioned expression all but disappeared from the girl's face and she slumped, defeated, into her seat.

Ron braved breaking the silence in a last-ditch attempt to get their point across, "Professor, Harry trusts her less than he's ever trusted Snape." He ran on before MacGonagall could correct him, "He'll never cooperate with professor Kittson. Says she's got some other agenda for being here and I'd believe him!"

"Mr Weasley – " Ron tried not to quail under the flinty gaze of the stubbornly dutiful professor, "Mr Weasley, even the headmaster can scarcely refuse the requests of professor Kittson. Despite what misgivings we may have, we must put some trust in the demon. She has knowledge and power beyond comprehension and no matter what we may feel I believe that it is in her interest to help Harry. If there is one thing that demon wants above all other things, it is to destroy Voldemort utterly. In order to do so she must influence Harry. She can empower him and protect him to a far greater extent than professor Snape."

She produced the tartan shortbread tin for a second time, "Harry may not trust her, and he may find the techniques uncomfortable but you must support and encourage him. Survival may not seem preferable to death sometimes, but there is no going back after death. Now, take a shortbread before you head off to Potions, I am sorry that I had to detain you for so long."

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Was that alright? Pleaaaaaaaaase let me know…