The Prefects
Hogwarts Express is a beautiful journey for first-year students to make friends and have fun before their Houses are selected and they are basically judged for it their whole lives.
. . . well, that was a little dark.
Anyway, basically, Hogwarts Express is fun for all, even the other students, since they don't have homework yet, but mostly for the first-year students.
The only people who don't like this journey are the Prefects, Amelia Bones in particular. You see, when other students go and have fun with their friends, eat candies for no reason and sleep off their nerves, the Prefects go and roam around the long train and handle any chaos or noise that is beginning to form.
Now, some Prefects, like this year's Head Girl, some snob from Ravenclaw, don't take this part of the position seriously but Amelia does, it was her dream to help her Professors in keeping peace and well, and this experience will help her when she becomes an Auror in the future. Though, due to the Prefects who don't do anything, Amelia's workload was more than it should have been.
Amelia sighed and continued patrolling the Hogwarts Express.
She hates this, it's too boring.
Suddenly, she heard a loud sound and rushed towards it. Were the Prewett Brothers experimenting with Charms alone again? Was Julius Flint left alone with Leon Wood again? Was another firstie taught a potentially dangerous spell, which could be shown off, that was taught by a negligent older sibling?
Amelia did not know but she would soon find out.
_
James Potter and Sirius Black had met one another and hit off with each other as soon as their first greetings were spoken. Of course, the dungbombs that James had were a boon to the two immature pranksters, no need to mention it further.
Well, unless, the dungbombs were blown up.
Amelia did not know any of the above when she reached the scene of chaos. Sticky, wet and smelly was the politest way to complain about the situation. Honestly, why did Zonko create an abomination of a joke like this?
She pinched her nose and walked forward, carefully avoiding the leftovers of the dungbomb. She took out her wand and started vanishing the pieces away as she moved forward. A boy with brown hair and a Prefect badge was coming in her direction, doing the same thing.
The boy closed in on her and demanded, "What the heck happened, Bones?"
Amelia rolled her eyes and said to the Slytherin, "Do you really think I would know that, Flint? I just arrived, you buffoon."
"Guys, guys, calm down, " A third voice came in as the Head Boy arrived at the situation. The pretty boy complained loudly, "Bloody hell, this is the worst thing that has happened since I became a Prefect! How am I going to explain this to Dumbledore?!"
Flint rolled his eyes and said, "Shut up, Diggory. Sprout's going to save you, like always."
Amos Diggory immediately brightened up and exclaimed, "You are right! Thanks, Julius. Let's go further, we must find the Prewetts!"
Amelia butted in and asked, "Why do you think that the Prewett Brothers did this, Amos?"
Amos rolled his eyes and said, "C'mon, Amelia, you should know that nobody, and I mean nobody, is as prone to violence as the two of them."
Flint interrupted Amelia before she could say something, "Diggory, get ready to eat your words. Oh, this is gonna be good."
Amelia looked into the compartment and there were four first-year boys, two with brown hair and two with black hair. She asked the four of them sternly, "Did any of you blow up a dungbomb."
The brown-haired firsties looked down in embarrassment and a little fear while the other two practically grinned with pride. The one with the grey eyes exclaimed loudly, "Yep, James had 'em and it would've been a shame to not blow 'em up!"
Amelia sighed deeply as Flint heard that. The Slytherin asked Amos with joy, "Oh, can I, Diggory, can I? This is going to be so beautiful."
Amos motioned Flint to go on with a look of deep disappointment in the firsties due to which the two brown-haired firsties looked so sad about that that Amelia felt pity for them.
Flint said loudly and happily with a dangerous grin, "Okay, firsties, listen up! You are gonna be in a punishment meeting with McGonagall right after your sorting for your pranking. She will tell you your punishment and deduct your non-existent points. Personally, I hope you get Filch for your detention, he is a killjoy of the highest order!"
Amelia continued sternly, "And I hope that none of you will do it again or your punishment will be doubled. Alright, boys?"
The joy of the firsties seemed to have been sucked out of the air and Amelia guiltily felt pleasure from their sadness. They really shouldn't have done this for everyone's safety.
Flint closed the compartment door and Amos cast a charm that left a pleasant aroma. As the Head Boy left, he muttered loudly, "Such a small job, shouldn't have come here at all."
Amelia and Flint, who was still grinning, looked at each other and shrugged. Flint then said, "Bones, this year's Quidditch Cup is gonna be ours, I can tell you."
Amelia smirked and said, "You really think that Harry is going to let you have our Quidditch Cup after last year?"
Last year, Harry Potter, a firstie from her House, somehow became the Seeker for their Quidditch Team and started destroying the game fully by catching the Snitch in less than five minutes. Last year, Slytherin lost the finals with their points not above zero and Hufflepuff with more than two hundred.
Amelia's older brother, Edgar Bones, who is the Hufflepuff Quidditch Team's captain and one of the Chasers, had told her that Harry Potter was crazy with a broom and crazier in a dangerous room.
Amelia can agree.
Flint sneered at her and stomped off with a final comment, "Yeah, well, we got ourselves two new Beaters this year, Bones, so watch out."
Amelia watched the Slytherin Seeker leave and shrugged. She turned to the closed compartment door to her right and told the eavesdropping firsties, "Mind your own business, kids."
Amelia chuckled as she left to continue her patrol.
She still hates Hogwarts Express but maybe, just maybe, it isn't so bad.