The second winning idea I am doing is Ron and Draco NOT becoming prefects. I have also added in Pansy not becoming a prefect. When you look at the prefects in Harry's year, it should be clear that Ron, Draco, and Pansy were not good choices for the position. This chapter depicts a more proactive McGonagall than the McUseless version we see in canon.

Minerva McGonagall was in her office waiting for Albus Dumbledore.

Dumbledore had told her that he would be informing her of his selections for the fifth year prefects for the upcoming school year that afternoon.

Hearing a knock on her door, McGonagall piped up, "Is it Albus?"

"Yes, Minerva, " replied Dumbledore simply.

McGonagall opened the door and let Dumbledore in.

"Well, Minerva," said Dumbledore seriously, "Let's get down to business. The students I have selected for the upcoming school year are as follows: Anthony Goldstein and Padma Patil for Ravenclaw, Ernie MacMillian and Hannah Abbott for Hufflepuff, Draco Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson for Slytherin, and Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger for Gryffindor."

McGonagall had frowned upon hearing the names Draco Malfoy, Pansy Parkinson, and Ron Weasley. In her mind, those three were NOT prefect material.

"Did you just include Draco Malfoy, Pansy Parkinson, and Ron Weasley on your list of new prefects for the upcoming school year?" asked McGonagall uneasily.

"I did, " conformed Dumbledore, "We can go over the prefects house by house if you'd like."

"So," said McGonagall in a businesslike voice, "I see no problem with the selections of Anthony Goldstein and Padma Patil for Ravenclaw. Both are well behaved and high achieving students who will be good role models for the younger students. Ernie MacMillian and Hannah Abbott, I generally like. Ernie is a wonderful student who is highly motivated, and I think he'll do well in a position of leadership. He can be a little pompous at times, but he will have respect for the position of prefect and treat it with that respect. Hannah Abbott is a sweet and kind girl ninety nine percent of the time. Though far quieter than Ernie, she's also a fantastic student. The only thing that gives me pause about Ernie and Hannah is their wearing of the Potter Stinks badges last year. However, all of the Hufflepuffs did that and we have to choose someone."

"Besides," interjected Dumbledore, "Forgiving people is a very important part of life."

"Albus," said McGonagall sharply, "You go way too far with that forgiveness bullshit, sticking up for Snape and all of that. All the same, I'm confident that Ernie and Hannah will respect the younger students and will not abuse their positions. Like Ernie, Hermione Granger is also an excellent student with great respect for the rules. However, I must express my concern about your selections of Draco Malfoy, Pansy Parkinson, and Ron Weasley, all three of whom I do not trust with this responsibly. "

"Why not?" inquired Dumbledore.

"They are bullies, " answered McGonagall at once, "Ron would use this position to pick on people he doesn't like, especially Slytherins. Draco would use this position to pick on people he doesn't like, especially Gryffindors. Pansy would abuse her power and take advantage of people she doesn't like."

There was a short pause and then McGonagall continued, "Remember that prefects will also have to deal with the younger students, including and in some cases especially the first years. Ron calls younger students midgets and Draco and Pansy are known to use derogatory language to refer to people they don't like. Ron is notoriously lazy. He tends to goof off, not pay attention in class, and only really cares about being a foodie and a face maker. Draco is a better student than Ron and isn't nearly as lazy, but he IS a bully. There have been multiple occasions where I have heard him calling muggleborns that offensive eight letter word that starts with m and ends with d. He even MOCKED Cedric's death at the end of last year. And Pansy? You realize that she was the one who spread the lie to Rita Skeeter that there was a Harry-Hermione-Viktor love triangle? In that said article, she also calls Hermione the offensive four letter word that starts with u and ends with y. Ron is a lazy boy who calls younger students unflattering names and can't be motivated by anything other than food and faces. Draco calls others derogatory names and mocks tragic deaths. Pansy helps spread lies about people. And that's just scratching the surface. All three are bullies. And all three are certainly people I don't think should be allowed to have an influence on our younger students."

Dumbledore sat in silent thought for a minute and a nanosecond and then piped up, "I have seen these behaviors. But, first, people need to learn how to forgive people who have wronged them. And being prefects will provide Mr. Weasley, Mr. Malfoy, and Miss Parkinson an opportunity to grow and mature."

"Albus," said McGonagall seriously, "Prefect is a position for people who are already somewhat mature, granted that these are fifteen year olds we are talking about. Albus, if you do not select different prefects from those three, I will resign in protest and will encourage other members of staff to do the same. I will not stay at a school that is being given over to bullies. "

Dumbledore looked shocked. He quickly realized that he was cornered. If McGonagall really did resign, and especially if she brought others with her, then Dumbledore would have very little time to fill the staff vacancies before the fall 1994 semester started. He couldn't take that chance, He'd at least have to go along with not making Ron, Draco, and Pansy prefects.

Finally, Dumbledore asked, "Minerva, who do you suggest instead?"

"So," said McGonagall seriously, "Harry Potter, though I think he would handle the duties of being a prefect quite well, would be a bad choice because some younger students might be in awe of him. Making Harry Potter a prefect would put him in a position to be fanboyed and fangirled. In some cases, rudely, and in some cases, innocently. All the same, I don't think Harry should be put in that position. My suggestion for this position is Neville Longbottom."

"Neville Longbottom?" said Dumbledore, shaking his head, "He's too shy, nervous, clumsy, and timid-"

"Albus," said McGonagall sharply, "Neville could greatly benefit from being a prefect. He's the type of person who can use the opportunity of being a prefect for personal growth. Neville's problems are that he lacks self-confidence and is rarely given the feeling that others are confident in him, except from Professor Sprout. Just naming him a prefect would show confidence and belief in him. And the interpersonal interactions that come with being a prefect would help him come out of his shell."

"Well, " sighed Dumbledore, "I suppose when you put it like that. Alright, Neville Longbottom shall be the male prefect for Gryffindor in his year. But what about the Slytherins?"

"For the boy, I'd go Terrance Higgs, " replied McGonagall, "Terrance is a good boy and a fine student. He was the Seeker for Slytherin Quidditch Team for one year before Marcus Flint unceremoniously dumped him in favor of Draco Malfoy because Lucius bought the whole team Nimbus Two Thousand and One brooms. There wasn't even a tryout or anything. He handled the unfair situation with grace and class, and I'd like to see something positive happen for Terrance. The girl is easy. The choice here should be Daphne Greengrass. Daphne is easily the best student among the Slytherin girls and one of the very few girls in Slytherin in her year who is not a bully. She could even use her position to stop other Slytherins from bullying. "

"But " complained Dumbledore, "Terrance and Daphne are two of the very few Slytherins in their year who don't support their Head of House."

"We'd all be a lot better off if more Slytherins saw through Snape and either stood up to him or at least didn't support him." retorted Minerva.

Dumbledore shook his head.

"Terrance and Daphne, like Neville, are decent people who have their hearts in the right place, " said McGonagall clearly, "Their appointments to the position of prefect could actually help Slytherin House cleanse itself in the process.

"Very well then, Terrance Higgs and Daphne Greengrass can be the Slytherin prefects, " sighed Dumbledore.

"In that case, " smiled Minerva, "I can start sending out the Hogwarts letters ahead of the new school year."

With that, McGonagall went off to send out the Hogwarts letters for the year, extremely relived to know that she wouldn't be sending out prefects' badges to Ron, Draco, and Pansy.

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