AN: I'm sorry for not updating for a very long time. I have been very, very busy of late. I'm afraid this is likely the last chapter for this story, and may indeed be the last thing I ever write. I've had writers' block for four months now, and I just don't have the will to write anymore. (I do hope it comes back, but I cannot be sure.)

Thank you, and goodbye for now,

TheGirlWhoRemembers

'Where are Pad and Tony?'

Michael stepped out of the doorway to the Common Room, eyes searching his surroundings.

Terry looked up from his Ancient Runes homework before replying.

'They have patrol duty tonight. Though, I'm not surprised that you didn't know that.'

Michael flopped down into an armchair beside Terry.

'Yeah, yeah, I've been spending way too much time with Ginny...say what you want, Boot, but nothing matters compared to true love!'

Terry suppressed a sigh.

'While that may be a factor, I would say that with or without Ginny Weasley, you still wouldn't know the schedule of Tony and Pad's Prefect duties.'

Michael glared half-heartedly at his friend.

Terry simply continued doing his Ancient Runes homework.

After a long period of silence, Michael spoke up suddenly.

'Terry, why aren't you Prefect?'

The boy in question put down The Quibbler. (He'd finished his Ancient Runes homework, and long since disregarded the Prophet as a reputable source for actual news.)

'Because Tony is. There is only one male Prefect from each House in each Year, so I cannot be.'

Michael looked at Terry over the top of his notebook.

'I'm not that stupid. You know what I meant. But why not you instead of Tony? Surely-'

'-Tony is perfectly qualified, and he is performing his duties well. He makes an excellent Prefect.'

'But surely you'd be better? I mean, you can talk to girls-'

'-Tony is much better in that aspect of late, Mike. Besides, Pad is a girl, and Tony is just as comfortable speaking to her as he is speaking to us.'

Michael flung his arms out in exasperation.

'Oh, come off it, Terry! You'd be an amazing Prefect, and you know it! You're frighteningly bright, you're rule-abiding, you're responsible and organized, and you're pretty good at enforcing discipline and bossing people around and other Prefect-y stuff!'

Terry raised an eyebrow.

'I'm flattered that you think so highly of me, Mike. But remember, Tony has many of those qualities as well. Yes, we could both be good Prefects, but I do believe that being Prefect matters more to Tony than it does to me.'

Michael pursed his lips.

'Well, yes, but it's not as if Professor Dumbledore would know that, so he couldn't have taken it into account when he picked Prefects...'

Terry shrugged.

'Professor Dumbledore knows much more about us students than we believe he does.'

Michael stared at Terry.

'You...you told him, didn't you? You asked him to make Tony Prefect instead of you! I knew it! You asked him, you got him to do it-'

'-Mike, firstly, why would the Headmaster listen to me? I'm just another student. Secondly, when would I have the opportunity to speak to him so privately?'

Michael pondered for a moment.

'You're right, you wouldn't have...wait! Last year! Dumbledore called you up to his office! You spoke to him then! And-'

'-Mike, I've already told you and Pad and Tony. While a portrait did tell me an interesting titbit about Potter killing a Basilisk, the conversation I had with Professor Dumbledore was rather mundane. It was simply about whether I'd like to patent my Word-and-Phrase Finder Charm. '

Michael raised an eyebrow.

'I don't believe you. Surely-'

Terry looked his companion straight in the eye.

'-Mike, I honestly did not mention anything to Professor Dumbledore regarding Prefect selection. I did not mention the word Prefect. As I said before, our Headmaster knows a lot more about us than most think.'

'You mean he's a stalker like you?'

Terry sighed.

'I suppose, if you wish to put it that way.'

'You're incorrigible.'

'That's an unusually advanced use of vocabulary for you.'

Michael threw a scrunched-up ball of parchment at Terry.

'Hey! I'm still a Ravenclaw!'

'You have an Acceptable in Transfiguration. And a Dreadful bordering on Poor in History of Magic. Many would consider that you are therefore not a proper Ravenclaw.'

Michael pouted.

'You don't need straight Os to be a Ravenclaw, Terry. Grades aren't everything.'

'I know. I was simply pointing out what the majority of the school population believes.'

Michael shook his head.

'I can never have the last word with you, can I?'

'No.'

Michael rolled his eyes.

Stephen beckoned him over.

'Oi! Mike, come help me prove to MacDougal that the Wasps are better than the Harpies!'

Michael grinned, and strode over to the window, sitting down beside Stephen and Morag.

The lanky red-haired girl smirked at him.

'You're going down, Corner.'

Terry shook his head, picked up a quill and parchment, and watched Kevin teach Lisa to play poker as he scribbled down incantation conjugations and wand movements.

The Common Room door opened, to admit Su, Padma and Anthony.

Su smiled at her year mates, before slipping quietly up to the girls' dorms.

Terry wordlessly handed Anthony his bookbag.

The blond Prefect accepted it gratefully.

'Thanks, Terry.'

He immediately sat down at a desk in the corner, and began working on his Ancient Runes homework. (Knowing Anthony, he'd be there for most of the night.)

Padma took a seat beside Terry.

'I'm glad I finished my Ancient Runes during dinner today. Patrol was taxing, to say the least, and I don't really think I'd be up to doing my work now.'

Terry handed her The Quibbler.

'Pad, eating dinner is necessary.'

'I did eat!'

Terry raised an eyebrow.

'Not enough.'

'Well, I wasn't really hungry, anyway. Besides, you skip dinner sometimes too, don't you? I'm sure I remembered you skipping at least two or three days' worth of dinners when you were working on your Word-and-Phrase Finder Charm.'

'Two days. I skipped dinner twice. Fair point, Pad. I'll drop the matter.'

Padma smiled.

'I'll try and avoid skipping meals if you do the same.'

'Deal.'

They sat quietly for a moment, Padma perusing Terry's copy of The Quibbler, Terry working on his next invention.

'Terry?'

'Yes, Pad?'

'Do you have any idea why Su was out in the corridors so late? I mean, Tony and I ran into her on our way up from patrolling the dungeons...she mentioned something about extra credit for Potions, but Su has an Exceeds Expectations in Potions, which is really rather good considering Professor Snape, and I didn't know he offered extra credit...'

Terry straightened his glasses.

'I don't know, Pad. Su likes her privacy. She doesn't want anyone to know why she was out so late. She's rule-abiding, so you don't have to worry about her breaking school rules. In fact, I believe, that as a Prefect, you should be more concerned about Kevin teaching half the House to play this Muggle game called poker.'

Padma looked at him quizzically.

'What's poker?'