The next few weeks flew by and before they knew it, it was August 31st the night before Hogwarts, and of course the only ones to have packed were Hermione and Ginny. Ron and Harry were as usual running through the house to collect all their items and shove them unceremoniously into their trunks, which were in such disarray and so full that they couldn't even close. That is until Sirius took pity on them and cast an undetectable extension charm so everything fit, mess and all. Harry spent as much of the day as possible with Remus and Sirius since he wouldn't be able to see them much once he was off to Hogwarts, he assumed he would stay there for holidays, much like they do every year, Sirius and Remus would probably be much to busy to want him around and in their way. Remus and Sirius spent the day telling him stories about their Hogwarts days, and in return Harry told them small stories about his first few years, he told them the good stories anyways.
For dinner Mrs. Weasley had put together a feast filled with all of their favorite foods and desserts. At around 7, while everyone was still around the table, the fire roared to life and out stepped Minerva Mcgonagall. She walked out with ease, she didn't trip coming out of the floo, Harry noticed. Immediately her eyes set on Harry, Ron, and Hermione, the twins noticed too.
"What did they do already professor, "
"Yeah the year hasn't even started,"
"Harry hasn't had anyone try to off him yet this school year." Mrs. Weasley silenced them with a look, when she looked away they silently laughed to eachother.
"Minerva, what can we do for you? Can I get you anything to eat? Anything to Drink?" Molly Weasley, always the host.
"No thank you Molly, I'm just here to talk to Mr.'s Potter, Weasley, and Ms. Granger, regarding the school year." She motioned her head to the sitting room on the other side of the dining room door. The three got up and followed her. Professor Mcgonogall sat in the chair at the head of the room with the other three sitting on the couch to her right.
"Professor, we've already been given the warnings for this year." Started Hermione,
"Yeah!" Ron interjected, "keep your head down –"
"Don't talk about Voldemort –" Harry continued,
"Don't start fights with Umbridge-."
"That, is not why I am here." She cut them off and gave them her signature look that said, 'shut up and listen for once you idiots.' "As you know every year two 5th year students are picked to be prefects, be good examples for the younger students, keep order, and to help keep everyone safe." The three shook their head acknowledging they know what she is speaking about, Hermione had a look of hesitant excitement on her face. "Mr. Weasley, Ms. Granger, and Mr. Potter, you three together have been picked for prefects this year. Normally we don't pick three, but this year the responsibilities for prefects and increased, you will be expected to patrol the halls of course, but with everything going on there is also the chance of the school being attacked. Are you three, capable of handling this responsibility." She was looking pointedly at Ron and Harry, knowing full well Hermione was the most responsible of the three.
"Of course Professor, we are honored!" Hermione quickly & excitedly answered for them. McGonagall took out three separate envelopes with their names on it and had a slight lump from the prefect badge. Hermione gripped hers tight, not looking like she was going to part with it anytime soon, Harry and Ron took theirs gingerly, Harry was waiting for it to be snatched back from him like it was a joke. The professor stood, straightening her robes.
"Good, before I leave there is one more matter to attend to, Quidditch Captain." She turned to face Harry "I can think of no one better than the youngest seeker in a century to lead us to the quidditch cup this year," She pulled another envelope with his name out of her robe, this one also had a slight lump. "I expect great things from you this year Potter." She gazed down at him above her glasses, a small smile gracing her face. Harry stood in complete shock, prefect AND quidditch captain,
"Admit it professor, you're hoping the more responsibility you give me, the less chance I have to get into trouble." McGonagall let out a small laugh.
"I'll try anything at this point Potter." She turned and strode back to the dining room, and they followed. As she got into the fireplace she turned to look at the three once again.
"Thank you Professor." Hermione was a little teary eyed, like she didn't expect to be prefect, which is nuts, out of everyone, she was the most expected to be prefect, Harry and Ron are the ones who should be shocked, and rightly, they still were.
"Yeah, thank you professor" Harry looked her dead in the eye, "we won't let you down." She gave a small nod before clearly stating,
"Hogwarts!" before throwing down the floo powder and in a bright flash of green flame, she was gone.
"What was that about?" Harry turned around to find Sirius, Remus, Arthur, Molly, Tonks, Fred, George, and Ginny, all staring at them. Which to be honest was a little unnerving.
"We were all made prefect!" Hermione shrieked all while holding out her badge for everyone to see.
"Oh how wonderful!"
"All three of you? Really"
Everyone was talking at once and it was getting hard to concentrate. Sirius and Remus got up from their chairs and walked over to Harry, Sirius reaching him first and pulling him in for a hug, only to be pulled away from Sirius and enveloped by Remus. They both pulled away to look at him,
"We are proud of you, your parents would be too." Harry felt a little choked up by that.
"Harry was also made quidditch captain!" Ron interjected. Sirius's face almost broke in half with the intensity of his grin and whooped.
"That's what I'm talking about!" Moony just shook his head in amusement at his best friend.
"Congrats Harry, you deserve it." Harry blushed, compliments and congratulations still feel weird to him after his time at the Dursleys. Padfoot wrapped his arm around the back of Harry's neck and brought him close for a tight hug before pulling him to arms length.
"Bloody Hell –"
"Sirius language!" He didn't even register Molly yelling at him, Sirius just kept on.
"Your dad didn't even manage captain until 6th year! If he and Lily were here, Lily would have to keep him from taking out an ad in the prophet to announce this!" Sirius paused and his eyes got wide as he shot a look to Moony, "Moony! Lets-,"
"No Padfoot, we are not taking an ad out in the Daily Prophet to announce that Harry is the quidditch captain."
"Moony!" Sirius dramatically gasped while clutching his chest in mock hurt, "what happened to you!? You're thinking to small." An impish grin tugged at Padfoots mouth, "I want to buy out the FIRST PAGE to announce that MY godson has made quidditch captain AND prefect by his 5th year." Tonks laughed so hard she snorted, Harry half expected her nose to turn back into that of a pig like she had it earlier, Molly and Arthur just smiled at the antics, while Moony just shook his head in mock annoyance.
"So dramatic you are Padfoot."
"I can't believe you just called me dramatic Moony, I'm hurt."
"No, you're Sirius." Harry couldn't help himself, he had been waiting to say that since he found out Sirius wasn't there to murder him in his 3rd year. Moony and Padfoot just stopped and looked at him before Moony broke out in laughter. He was doubled over laughing so hard it sounded like it was hard to breath. Padfoot still just stared at him,
"I knew that fucking joke was going to come back to haunt me."
"That's what you get Pads, Prongs is probably dying where ever he is."
"I just can't believe it, I won the bet with Prongs so he couldn't say that anymore, and now my very own Prongs Jr, betrays me with the most dad of dad jokes."
"Once again Pads very Dramatic you are."
"Should we change your name from Moony to Yoda? Because that's who you sound like right now."
"Only if we change your name from Pads to Drama, it should have been that way from the beginning."
"Fuck –"
"Alright! I think its time for everyone to go to bed." Molly interjected. Harry was still holding on to the chair for support from laughing so hard. "We have to be up early for Kings Cross. We will NOT be late this year. Am I understood." She looked at each of them and they shook their head in understanding. "Good, alright bed, all of you."
Everyone stood up, Tonks was first to say her goodbyes and left, she didn't normally stay there. Harry, Ron and Hermione said their goodnights followed by Fred, George, and Ginny and went upstairs. All six teens stopped at the landing that separated their rooms.
"Awh ickle Ronnie and Harrikins-
"Prefects just like Percy."
"Oh sod off you two." Rons face was red, Percy was a sore subject for the family right now.
"Is that an order prefect Ron?"
"Are you going to take Gryffindor points Ronnie" Rons face just got redder, Fred and Georges faces were all grins, laughter in their eyes.
"Congrats you three really." Ron looked a little sheepish,
"And Harry, let us know when tryouts are." Tryouts? Fred and George have been on the team longer than Harry, he wasn't going to make them try out.
"No you don't have to try out –"
"Nonsense!" Interrupted Fred who was immediately followed up by George,
"What if you have some strong new beaters somewhere in the lower years, you'll want to look at all the fresh talent."
"Anyways, good night, early morning and all that." The twins turned and went to their room to the left at the end of the hall. Ginny still stood with them.
"I'll be trying out for chaser." Ginny said simply while looking at Harry. This unfamiliar warmth spread through his chest while he looked into her eyes.
"I'll be watching." Harry replied. Ginny had a faint blush creep onto her cheeks before she looked at Hermione.
"I'm going to bed too, you coming?" Hermione shook her head in agreement.
"Good night boys." Hermione kissed both the boys on the cheeks before following Ginny to their room directly across the hall from Harry and Ron. The boys turned and went into their room. For once, Harry didn't seem to have troubles getting to sleep, and for the first night in a long time, no nightmares.
