James, Hugo, Devon, Todd, Gary, Miles, Ainsley, Stephanie, Samantha and Lily all spent New Year's Day at Devon's house. Before everyone left Devon's they all came to an agreement to meet up again at the Potter's house in July.

Devon's weight loss program went exceptionally well. The sheet of paper listing the possible weight loss exercises contained both simple exercises that required only a person's person and more involving exercises that required the use of equipment. Devon realized that the magnitude of his weight problem meant that he needed to do these more involving exercises. He did not possess such equipment at home, so he used the Room of Requirement at Hogwarts as an Exercise Room. This room provided all the necessary equipment for Devon to do the more involving weight loss exercises he felt he needed to do. These exercises included long jumping through hula hoops as well as the use of treadmills, bikes, and trampolines, amongst other things. To Lily's great delight, her intervention was not necessary again after her talk with Devon on New Year's Eve. As Lily had hoped, Devon started to take responsibility for his own life. He started to eat normal portions and he also took James's advice and gave up beer. Devon did indeed start to feel loads better once he'd started eating normal portions, especially after his weight was down to an appropriate weight for his age and height. He had a lot of weight to lose but had lost all he needed to lose by late February.

The first Saturday into term Hufflepuff beat Slytherin in a Quidditch match. In mid February, Gryffindor beat Ravenclaw. Although the Chasers struggled on this day with Ainsley scoring only one goal and Rachel and Roxanne being shut out completely, another shutout from Keeper Samantha Saver combined with Lily catching the snitch in five minutes allowed Gryffindor to win 160-0. In a meaningless match in late March, Ravenclaw beat Slytherin. Slytherin is locked into a fourth place finish at 0-3, Ravenclaw is locked into third place at 1-2, and whichever team wins the yet to be played Quidditch final between Hufflepuff and Gryffindor will win the Quidditch Cup at 3-0 and the loser finishing in second place at 2-1. (This match will be shown in a future chapter.)

James, Albus, Devon, and Lily decided to postpone the beginning of the reading of the books on the history of the Potters and the Dursleys originally planned to start in January until Sunday, April 19th, 2020.

A box for students to submit entries to the Hogwarts Writing Competition was placed in the Great Hall as planned from January 6th through March 27th. At the request of several parents, the bottle of Budweiser originally meant to be a third place prize was removed. A bottle of Coca Cola Classic replaced it in the prize package.

Soon it was April and the big day everyone was looking forward to seemed to arrive in no time.

On Friday, April 10th, 2020 at 5 P.M. Hogwarts time, the students all gathered in the Great Hall for the big BBQ feast and the announcement of the winners of the Hogwarts Writing Competition.

On this night, Devon, Hugo, James, Ainsley, Stephanie, Samantha and Lily all took seven seats in a row at the Gryffindor table.

As had been promised, Hogwarts offered barbequed chicken, hot dogs, and hamburgers. Grilled corn was also offered, and Sierra Mist was the drink on this night.

Devon, Hugo, James, Ainsley, Stephanie, Samantha and Lily all took one of everything. They also added mustard and ketchup to their hamburgers and hot dogs and BBQ sauce to their chicken. Although everyone was eager to hear who the winners were, the food was so tasty that everyone took his or her time to savor the flavors. But once the plates had cleared, everyone's attention quickly darted to the front of the Great Hall.

The area that had once held the box for students to put their papers into now had tables standing on it that held the prizes.

There was a table with a hundred galleons, a bronze medal, and a bottle of Coca Cola Classic for the third place winner. There was a table with five hundred galleons, a silver medal, and a slab of Honeydukes chocolate for the second place winner. What caught everyone's attention most, however, was that the first place table had two separate piles of a hundred0 galleons, two gold medals, and two Old Faithful bars. Clearly had there had been a tie for first place.

Standing beside the prize tables were the four judges, Flitwick, Macmillan, Longbottom, and McGonagall.

"Attention," called Professor McGonagall into her purple megaphone, "Let me explain how the process of announcing the winners will work. The first thing I should say is that all the prize winners will be announced first and THEN the winning ideas will be revealed. I will begin by announcing some honorable mentions. These are people who turned in papers which we feel were exceptionally well written but whose ideas will ultimately not be used. As it so happens, exactly four people turned in papers with suggestions that are actually going to come into fruition at Hogwarts. With that being as it is, the judges all felt that all four deserved to place. Furthermore, it was such a close call for first place that the judges decided that it was fairest to rule these two papers a first place tie. As a whole, everyone did a great job expressing their perspectives on how their lives at Hogwarts are at present time and have been since they've arrived. Good ideas for what changes Hogwarts should undergo were fewer and further between. That's not to say that a few of the unused ideas didn't have some merit. In some cases, it was felt after consideration that keeping things as is was better than change. Out of respect for the feelings of those whose ideas will not be used, none of the unused proposals will be revealed. The honorable mentions are very well written papers from students who are clearly great writers but whose ideas will not be used. The honorable mentionable students will be called forward and given certificates of quality writing along with a ten galleon gift card to Diagon Alley good in any shop in Diagon Alley. The prize winners will be revealed in reverse order and will come forward to collect their prizes as called. When everyone is seated again the prize winning ideas will be revealed. Each prize placer will be called back up when his or her idea is revealed."

Everyone nodded in understanding.

"The following students have been deemed worthy of honorable mention, "said McGonagall clearly, "From Ravenclaw, sixth year, Jill Kirke."

Jill Kirke was a muggleborn with dark brown hair and brown eyes who was slightly taller than average. She rose from the Ravenclaw table and went up to McGonagall to collect her certificate and gift card. She had a small smile as she collected them, not too overjoyed, but still pleased that judges saw fit to recognize her paper as a quality paper even if her ideas were rejected in the end. When Jill was reseated McGonagall called out the second honorable mention.

"From Hufflepuff, fourth year, Susan Bones Jr,"

Susan Bones Jr was a redhead with pigtails. Her reaction to being an honorable mention was a carbon copy of Jill's. Susan was happy but not ecstatic. She was pleased that her paper had been recognized as well written. When Susan was back at the Hufflepuff table, McGonagall called out the final honorable mention.

"From Gryffindor, first year, Stephanie Baylac."

"WOW!", said Stephanie, running up to McGonagall with much more enthusiasm than Jill or Susan had shown.

Stephanie looked at Flitwick, McMillian, Longbottom, and McGonagall and said pleasantly, "Thanks for acknowledging my paper as a well written paper. I'm very passionate about writing."

"And that showed in your entry, Miss Baylac," said McGonagall with a smile, "If the results for this completion were based on effort and writing quality alone you would have won first prize."

Stephanie grinned widely at this.

"It feels great as someone who loves writing to know that my writing talent is appreciated," said Stephanie in a warm voice with equal warmth in her eyes.

McGonagall presented Stephanie with her certificate of quality writing and her gift card and she returned to her friends at the Gryffindor table.

"Congratulations, Stephanie," said Hugo, Devon, James, Ainsley, Samantha and Lily in unison.

But they didn't have time to say any more than that because McGonagall was back to business the next nanosecond.

"And now what you've all been waiting for," said McGonagall, "The award for third prize goes to... from Slytherin, fifth year, Megan Nash."

Megan walked up to the third place table and stood on the podium in front of it. Her face showed a mixture of joy and pride.

The Slytherin table began cheering for Megan while two different and opposite reactions occurred at the Gryffindor table.

Some Gryffindors, especially Albus, booed loudly when Megan's name was read and then started chanting "Snakes are slimy!" and "Slytherin sucks!" at the top of their lungs.

However, James, Hugo and Lily were clapping and chanting "Megan, Megan." loudly.

James was friends with Megan having met and worked with her in class as she was in his year. Hugo, and Lily, meanwhile, were remembering the kindness Megan had shown Lily when Lily had been shaken by Phillip Edgecombe's attack during the Gryffindor-Slytherin Quidditch match.

"Hey, Albus, don't be mean to my friend," said James very angrily.

"YOU SHOULDN'T BE FRIENDS WITH SLYTHERINS YOU NUMBSKULL!" roared Albus furiously, "SLYTHERINS ARE ASSHOLES AND DARK WIZARDS!"

"Megan is a good person and a good friend," James defended his friend fiercely, "I should know as I've shared classes with her for almost five years!"

"And that's not all," said Lily firmly, "After that sleezeball Edgecombe attacked me during the Gryffindor-Slytherin Quidditch match, Megan, who remember is a Chaser for Slytherin, put aside her disappointment at being shut out 310-0 to come over and comfort me. She was very classy and even gave me chocolate to make me feel better."

"That was the moment that made me realize that there are good Slytherins," piped up Hugo, "I used to think of Slytherin as the house of Bellatrix Lestrange and Lord Voldemort-

"WHICH IT IS!" bellowed Albus.

"But I know now that we must be open minded. Megan proved me wrong then. She is a good Slytherin and was even so at a time when her own fortunes were bad." finished Hugo.

Albus glared at James, Hugo, and Lily.

As Megan had the bronze medal placed around her neck and accepted her a hundred galleon prize and bottle of Coca Cola Classic, both the Slytherin table, and James, Hugo, and Lily went on chanting "Megan, Megan," louder than ever.

Truthfully, Megan did feel a bit hurt by the judgmental attitude of those booing her. After all, none of those booing her actually knew her. Still, her predominant feeling as she looked around the hall was appreciation for those people who were supporting her.

After Megan had her prizes, McGonagall proceeded with the prize announcements and called, "second prize goes to, from Gryffindor, first year, Samantha Saver!"

"YES! YES! YES!" screamed Samantha in an elated voice, "I did it! I did it! I did it! I placed! I placed! I placed! And now I know my idea will be used! YOU LIKE THAT! YOU LIKE THAT!"

Samantha practically galloped up to the second place table and stood on the podium in front of it. As she took her spot, she gave a thumbs up to James.

Devon, Hugo, James, Ainsley, Stephanie and Lily all cheered for Samantha for a few seconds and chanted "SAMANTHA! SAMANTHA!" a few times. Then they took in Samantha's coming to this point.

"This is amazing," said Ainsley, "Samantha at least at first didn't want to enter even though she had ideas she wanted to put forward because she didn't want to be a loser."

"I said all along that she should enter, "said Lily matter of factly, "But I think it was James's encouragement that ultimately changed her mind and convinced her to enter."

"I think that is why she gave me that thumbs up, "said James proudly, "She was thanking me for giving her that encouragement. I'm so proud of her. She obviously put her mind and heart into it and committed to it if she produced a second place paper."

"I'm really proud of her as well," said Devon brightly, "Great things can happen when a person goes all in."

"We all are very proud of Samantha," beamed Lily, "I can't wait to see what her prize winning idea was."

Samantha had the silver medal placed around her neck and took the slab of Honeydukes chocolates and five hundred galleons. After that presentation finished McGonagall got to what they all been dying to know. Who were the first place winners?"

"First prize, "said McGonagall clearly, "Is a tie. The winners are both from Gryffindor. The first place tie is between fifth year James Potter and first year Lily Potter!"

For a nanosecond James and Lily sat stunned. Then, without warning, they both leapt from their seats and chest bumped each other.

"This is surreal, "said James with tears of happiness coming down his face, "We've tied as champions! Does it get any better than that, big sis?"

"Nothing could feel better than this, baby bro," responded Lily emotionally, "For us to tie as champions-"

James and Lily walked very slowly up to the first place prize table with their arms around each other. Both were tearful and both had unexplainable feelings inside of them.

There was the joy of winning and there was also the meaningfulness that came from sharing it with each other.

As they walked, the whole hall was awash in deafening cheers. Most people from all four houses were stomping their feet, clapping their hands, and excitedly chanting, "POTTER! POTTER!"

Of course, Hugo and Devon were cheering the loudest with Ainsley, Samantha, and Stephanie not far behind. But, really, just about everyone was supporting them.

"This is an incredible scene," said Devon happily, "To see my BFF share first prize with her brother, a close friend of mine in his own right, is just wonderful."

"I couldn't be happier for James and Lily," said Hugo meaningfully.

"It'll be awesome to find out what ideas they won with," said Ainsley eagerly.

James and Lily smiled widely, and their eyes glowed as the gold medals were placed around their necks. They happily grabbed their a hundred0 galleons each and to James' delight, the Old Faithful Bars.

At this point pictures were taken of the winners all standing together. Then everyone went back to their seats.

"I'm so proud of you and so happy for you, big sis," said James warmly as he hugged Lily as they sat down at the Gryffindor table.

"I'm just as proud of and just as happy for you, baby bro," smiled Lily as she hugged James back.

"And we got Old Faithful Bars as prizes," smiled James in delight.

There wasn't much time to celebrate though because McGonagall now called Megan back to the front of the Great Hall to have her idea revealed.