This would be the chapter that Molly encountered the boggart. However, that won't be discussed, as Ron was not present for it, and I don't believe that Harry or anyone told him about it.

Just wanted to let y'all know in case you read it and be like okay but Molly's boggart tho.

On with the fic. And am so happy to be going back to Hogwarts!

Chapter 122: The Prefect's Badge

Over the next few days it was starting to seem like there was one person within number twelve, Grimmauld Place, who did not seem wholly overjoyed that Harry would be returning to Hogwarts. Sirius had put up a very good show of happiness on first hearing the news, wringing Harry's hand and beaming just like the rest of us. Soon, however, he was moodier than before, talking less to everybody, even Harry, and spending increasing amounts of time shut up in his mother's room with Buckbeak.

"Don't you go feeling guilty!" said Hermione sternly, after Harry had confided some of his feelings to her and I while we scrubbed out a mouldy cupboard on the third floor a few days later. "You belong at Hogwarts and Sirius knows it. Personally, I think he's being selfish."

"That's a bit harsh, Hermione," I said, frowning as I attempted to prise off a bit of mould that had attached itself firmly to my finger, "you wouldn't want to be stuck inside this house without any company. Get the fuck off, you!"

"He'll have company!" said Hermione. "It's Headquarters to the Order of the Phoenix, isn't it? He just got his hopes up that Harry would be coming to live here with him."

"I don't think that's true," said Harry, wringing out his cloth. "He wouldn't give me a straight answer when I asked him if I could."

"He just didn't want to get his own hopes up even more," said Hermione wisely. "And he probably felt a bit guilty himself, because I think a part of him was really hoping you'd be expelled. Then you'd both be outcasts together."

"Come off it!" said Harry and I together, but Hermione merely shrugged.

"Suit yourselves. But I sometimes think Ron's mum's right and Sirius gets confused about whether you're you or your father, Harry."

Harry didn't like that. 'So you think he's touched in the head?'

"No, I just think he's been very lonely for a long time," said Hermione simply.

"Still not finished?" Mum said, poking her head into the cupboard.

"I thought you might be here to tell us to have a break!" I said bitterly. "D'you know how much mould we've got rid of since we arrived here?"

"You were so keen to help the Order," said Mum, "you can do your bit by making Headquarters fit to live in."

"I feel like a house-elf," I grumbled, knowing full well I would rile Hermione up.

Sure enough...

"Well, now you understand what dreadful lives they lead, perhaps you'll be a bit more active in S.P.E.W.!" piped Hermione , as expected, as Mum left. "You know, maybe it wouldn't be a bad idea to show people exactly how horrible it is to clean all the time-we could do a sponsored scrub of Gryffindor common room, all proceeds to S.P.E.W., it would raise awareness as well as funds!"

"I'll sponsor you to shut up about spew," I mumbled irritably to Harry, who chuckled.

"Booklists have arrived," I said on the last day of the holidays, throwing one of the envelopes up to Harry, who was standing on a chair. "About time, I thought they'd forgotten, they usually come much earlier than this."

Harry swept the last of Hedwig's droppings into a rubbish bag and threw the bag over my head into the wastepaper basket in the corner, which swallowed it and belched loudly.

I opened my letter. It contained two pieces of parchment: one the usual reminder that term started on the first of September; the other telling me which books I would need for the coming year.

"Only two new ones," Harry said, reading his list, "The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 5, by Miranda Goshawk, and Defensive Magical Theory, by Wilbert Slinkhard."

Crack.

Fred and George Apparated right beside Harry. Both of us had gotten so used to it that we didn't even flinch.

"We were just wondering who assigned the Slinkhard book," said Fred.

"Because it means Dumbledore's found a new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher," said George.

"And about time too," said Fred.

"What d'you mean?" Harry asked, jumping down beside them.

"Well, we overheard Mum and Dad talking on the Extendable Ears a few weeks back,"said Fred, "and from what they were saying, Dumbledore was having real trouble finding anyone to do the job this year."

I noticed that my letter seemed rather heavy. I shook it, and something fell out into my hand.

I tuned the conversation out as I stared at the scarlet and gold badge with a P on it shine like a brand new galleon in my hand.

Prefect...I had made prefect?

"What's up with you, Ron?" I heard Fred ask.

'What's the matter?' said Fred impatiently, moving around me to look over my shoulder at the parchment and the badge.

Fred's mouth fell open, too.

"Prefect?" he said, staring incredulously at the letter. "Prefect?"

"No way," said George in a hushed voice, snatching the badge from my hand.

"There's been a mistake," said Fred, snatching the letter out of my hand and holding it up to the light as though checking for a watermark. "No one in their right mind would make Ron a prefect."

The twins' heads turned in unison and both of them stared at Harry.

"We thought you were a cert!" said Fred, in a tone that suggested Harry had tricked them in some way.

"We thought Dumbledore was bound to pick you!" said George indignantly.

"Winning the Triwizard and everything!" said Fred.

"I suppose all the mad stuff must've counted against him," said George to Fred.

"Yeah," said Fred slowly. "Yeah, you've caused too much trouble, mate. Well, at least one of you's got their priorities right."

I too had thought Harry would be a shoe in. Even if he wasn't, I would have never guessed that I would be picked for male prefect. If not Harry, maybe Dean. But never me.

"Prefect ... ickle Ronnie the prefect..." said Fred.

"Oh, Mum's going to be revolting," groaned George, thrusting the prefect badge back at me as though it might contaminate him.

I stared at it again, unable to speak. Then I held it out to Harry, who looked as if I wanted him to check it for authenticity. Harry took it and stared at it himself, thankfully, without a look of disbelief.

The door banged open. Hermione came tearing into the room, her cheeks flushed and her hair flying. There was an envelope in her hand.

"Did you-did you get-?"

She spotted the badge in Harry's hand and let out a shriek.

"I knew it!" she said excitedly, brandishing her letter. "Me too, Harry, me too!"

"No," said Harry quickly, pushing the badge back into my hand. "It's Ron, not me."

Hermione gasped. "It-what?"

"Ron's prefect, not me," Harry said.

"Ron?" said Hermione, her jaw dropping. "But ... are you sure? I mean-"

That hurt. It really hurt. The fact that she seemed like me being a prefect was unbelievable made me want to leave the room and not see her face for the rest of the day.

"It's my name on the letter," I said, eyes burning into her.

"I... well ... wow! Well done, Ron! That's really-"

'Unexpected," said George, nodding.

"No," said Hermione, blushing harder than ever, "no it's not ... Ron's done loads of ... he's really..."

"Save it, Hermione." I said, looking back at my badge.

"Ron, I-"

The door behind her opened a little wider and Mum backed into the room carrying a pile of freshly laundered robes.

"Ginny said the booklists had come at last," she said, glancing around at all the envelopes as she made her way over to the bed and started sorting the robes into two piles. "If you give them to me I'll take them over to Diagon Alley this afternoon and get your books while you're packing. Ron, I'll have to get you more pyjamas, these are at least six inches too short, I can't believe how fast you're growing ... what colour would you like?"

"Get him red and gold to match his badge," said George, smirking.

'Match his what?" said Mum absently, rolling up a pair of maroon socks and placing them on my pile.

I thought about getting a shirt that said in big glowing letters that I hated maroon.

"His badge," said Fred, with the air of getting the worst over quickly. "His lovely shiny new prefect's badge."

"His ... but ... Ron, you're not...?"

I held up my badge and braced myself.

Mum let out a shriek just like Hermione's.

'I don't believe it! I don't believe it! Oh, Ron, how wonderful! A prefect! That's everyone in the family!"

"What are Fred and I, next-door neighbours?" said George indignantly, as Mum pushed him aside and flung her arms around me.

"Wait until your father hears! Ron, I'm so proud of you, what wonderful news, you could end up Head Boy just like Bill and Percy, it's the first step! Oh, what a thing to happen in the middle of all this worry, I'm just thrilled, oh, Ronnie!"

Fred and George were both making loud retching noises behind her back but Mum did not notice; arms tight around my neck, she was kissing him all over my face, which was as probably as red as my badge.

"Mum ... don't ... Mum, get a grip..." I muttered, trying to push her away.

She let go of me and said breathlessly, "Well, what will it be? We gave Percy an owl, but you've already got one, of course."

"W-what do you mean?" I said, not believing what she was saying.

'You've got to have a reward for this!" said Mum fondly. "How about a nice new set of dress robes?"

"We've already bought him some," said Fred sourly.

"Or a new cauldron, Charlie's old one's rusting through, or a new rat, you always liked Scabbers."

I thought about it as Mum kept listing things. Then, it came to me.

"Mum, can I have a new broom?Not a really good one! Just-just a new one for a change...'

I knew it was a lot to ask. Brooms were very expensive. But it was what I needed, if I was going to do what I was planning this year.

Mum hesitated, then smiled. "Of course you can... Well, I'd better get going if I've got a broom to buy too. I'll see you all later... Little Ronnie, a prefect! And don't forget to pack your trunks... A prefect... Oh, I'm all of a dither!"

She gave me yet another kiss on the cheek, sniffed loudly, and bustled from the room.

Fred and George exchanged looks.

"You don't mind if we don't kiss you, do you, Ron?" said Fred in a falsely anxious voice.

"We could curtsey, if you like," said George.

"Oh, sod off." I scowled at them, not really wanting to put up with their bullshit.

'Or what?" said Fred, an evil grin spreading across his face. "Going to put us in detention?"

"I'd love to see him try," sniggered George.

"He could if you don't watch out!" said Hermione angrily.

Fred and George burst out laughing.

"Drop it, Hermione, you're making it worse." I growled.

"We're going to have to watch our step, George," said Fred, pretending to tremble, "with these two on our case..."

"Yeah, it looks like our law-breaking days are finally over," said George, shaking his head.

And with another loud crack, the twins Disapparated.

"Those two!" said Hermione furiously, staring up at the ceiling, through which we could now hear Fred and George roaring with laughter in the room upstairs. "Don't pay any attention to them, Ron, they're only jealous!"

"I don't think they are. They've always said only prats become prefects... Still, they've never had new brooms! I wish I could go with Mum and choose... She'll never be able to afford a Nimbus, but there's the new Cleansweep out, that'd be great... Yeah, I think I'll go and tell her I like the Cleansweep, just so she knows..."

I dashed from the room, leaving Harry and Hermione alone.

I really wasn't desperate to tell Mum about the Cleansweep. I just had to get out.

Harry didn't seem like he cared or not that I had made prefect. And the way Hermione acted make me sick. She was so sure that Harry had made prefect, and seemed as if we were having her on when he TD her it was me who had. Did she really think that little of me?

Overall, I was a good student. I was smart, and though I didn't fully apply myself to subjects I didn't like, I still got the job done. Still made sure my grades were on par. And it wasn't even all of Hermione's help that did it.

And minus the things that Harry, Hermione, and I seemed to had had to do, I didn't get into a whole mesa of trouble. Not nearly on the level of the twins. I was responsible enough, I thought. So why did it seem like such a shock to her?

Of course Hermione was a shoe in for female prefect. Parvati and Lavender would have been too preoccupied with hair, makeup, and gossip to give a damn about the position. I bet they had Hermione picked since first year.

I went down and made my suggestion to Mum, who said she would see what she could do. I decided I would address Hermione later. Otherwise it would just nag at me and eventually tear me apart.

I went back upstairs and back to the room, as I really didn't want to be seen by the twins.

"Just caught her!" I said happily. "She says she'll get the Cleansweep if she can."

"Cool,' " Harry said. "Listen-Ron-well done, mate."

"I never thought it would be me!" I said, shaking my head. "I thought it would be you!"

"Nah, I've caused too much trouble," Harry said with a chuckle.

"Yeah," I said, chuckling back, "yeah, I suppose... Well, we'd better get our trunks packed, hadn't we?"

It took is most of the afternoon to retrieve our books and belongings from all over the house and stow them back inside our school trunks. I kept moving my prefect's badge around, not really knowing what to do with it. I placed it on my bedside table, then put it into my jeans pocket, then took it out and laid it on my folded robes. Only when Fred and George dropped in and offered to attach it to my forehead with a Permanent Sticking Charm did I wrap it tenderly in my stupid maroon socks and lock it in my trunk.

Mum returned from Diagon Alley around six, laden with books and carrying a long package wrapped in thick brown paper that I took from her with a moan of longing.

"Never mind unwrapping it now, people are arriving for dinner, I want you all downstairs," she said, but the moment she was out of sight I ripped off the paper in a frenzy and examined every inch of my new Cleansweep. I felt like I thought a new father felt holding his brand new baby.

Down in the basement Mum had hung a scarlet banner over the heavily laden dinner table, which read CONGRATULATIONS RON AND HERMIONE-NEW PREFECTS. She looked in a better mood than she had all holiday.

"I thought we'd have a little party not a sit-down dinner," she told Harry, Hermione, Fred, George, Ginny, and I as we entered the room. "Your father and Bill are on their way, Ron. I've sent them both owls and they're thrilled," she added, beaming.

Fred rolled his eyes.

Sirius, Lupin, Tonks, and Kingsley Shacklebolt were already there and Mad-Eye Moody stumped in shortly after.

"Oh, Alastor, I am glad you're here," said Mum brightly, as Mad-Eye shrugged off his travelling cloak. "We've been wanting to ask you for ages-could you have a look in the writing desk in the drawing room and tell us what's inside it? We haven't wanted to open it just in case it's something really nasty."

"No problem, Molly..."

Moody's electric-blue eye swivelled upwards and stared fixedly through the ceiling of the kitchen.

"Drawing room..." he growled, as the pupil contracted. "Desk in the corner? Yeah, I see it... Yeah, it's a boggart... Want me to go up and get rid of it, Molly?"

"No, no, I'll do it myself later," beamed Mum, "you have your drink. We're having a little bit of a celebration, actually..."She gestured at the scarlet banner. 'Fourth prefect in the family!' she said embarrassingly, ruffling my hair.

"Prefect, eh?" growled Moody, his normal eye on me and his magical eye swivelling around to gaze into the side of his head. "Well, congratulations. Authority figures always attract trouble, but I suppose Dumbledore thinks you can withstand most major jinxes or he wouldn't have appointed you..."

I gave a nervous laugh as Dad and Bill walked in with Mundungus, who was wearing a long overcoat that seemed oddly lumpy in unlikely places and declined the offer to remove it and put it with Moody's travelling cloak.

"Well, I think a toast is in order," said Dad when everyone had a drink. He raised his goblet. "To Ron and Hermione, the new Gryffindor prefects!"

The both of us smiled as everyone drank to us, and then applauded.

"I was never a prefect myself," said Tonks brightly, as she changed her hair blood red in honor of me, which i thought was neat. She looked like she could be Ginny's older sister, as that was her shade. "My Head of House said I lacked certain necessary qualities."

"Like what?" said Ginny, who was choosing a baked potato.

"Like the ability to behave myself," said Tonks.

Ginny laughed; Hermione looked as though she did not know whether to smile or not and compromised by taking an extra large gulp of Butterbeer and choking on it.

"What about you, Sirius?" Ginny asked, thumping Hermione on the back.

Sirius, who was right beside Harry, let out his usual bark-like laugh.

"No one would have made me a prefect, I spent too much time in detention with James. Lupin was the good boy, he got the badge."

"I think Dumbledore might have hoped I would be able to exercise some control over my best friends," said Lupin. "I need scarcely say that I failed dismally."

After I discussed my broom for a bit, I tunes into the conversations that were happening around me.

Hermione was talking very earnestly to Lupin about her view of elf rights.

"I mean, it's the same kind of nonsense as werewolf segregation, isn't it? It all stems from this horrible thing wizards have of thinking they're superior to other creatures..."

Mum and Bill were having their usual argument about Bill's hair.

"...getting really out of hand, and you're so good-looking, it would look much better shorter, wouldn't it, Harry?"

"Oh-I dunno-" said Harry. He got up and joined the twins and Mundungus in a quiet corner.

"Well, I think I'll sort out that boggart before I turn in." said Mum. "Arthur, I don't want this lot up too late, all right? 'Night, Harry, dear."

She left the kitchen and headed up the stairs.

Hermione sat down next to me, smiling.

"This is great, isn't it Ron? she said enthusiastically.

I didn't say anything back. I gave her a side glance and then took a swig of butterbeer.

Hermione caught my vibe of annoyance. "What's got your wand in a knot?" she asked.

"I'd you don't know, I'm not going to tell you." I said defiantly. I didn't care if it didn't make sense.

"How am I supposed to know if you don't tell me?"

"Because you should know."

"Well I don't."

"And I'm not going to tell you. How about you figure it out?"

I got up from the table and left the room. I didn't feel like being around her anymore, her and her falseness at her being glad we both got prefect.

Unfortunately for me, she came out right after. Should have known.

"What did I do? Why are you so mad at me?" she said as she trailed behind me.

"Leave me alone Hermione." I whispered harshly at her, not wanting to disturb Mrs. Black and have her screaming.

"No, I want you to tell me what is going on with you!"

"Stop being so bloody loud and obnoxious so that bloody harpy doesn't go off!" I mumbled.

"If you don't tell me what's wrong with you, I will scream!"

"Ughh! Fine! Come on!" I said, grabbing her hand and pulling her to my room. Luckily, Harry wasn't in there. Probably off somewhere with Sirius.

Hermione sat down on Harry's bed. "Alright, say it. What did I do this time?"

"Oh don't be a smartass, Hermione. It isn't a good look for you." I scoffed.

"I think I know what this is over. And if it is, you needn't blame me."

"Oh yeah genius? Then what is it?"

"You're still upset that your brothers took the mickey on you for making prefect, and now you're taking it out on me." said Hermione, crossing her arms.

I rolled my eyes. "This isn't about the twins, although you acted the same way about the badge too."

"I did not mock you!"

"You didn't mock me, but you sure as hell acted like I didn't deserve it!" I snapped.

Hermione looked taken aback. "Oh! Ron, I-"

"Don't give me bullshit, just admit it Hermione. You think Harry is better than me."

"Ronald, that's not-"

"You automatically thought he had gotten it. You didn't even seem shocked over it, you were over the fucking moon! And then when he said it was mine, you acted as if it was something completely unbelievable. What's wrong with me making prefect, huh? Am I not famous or brilliant enough? So I not deserve to get some kind of recognition? I may not be a genius like you, or a big hero like Harry, but my grades are good, and I've done things as well. So have you!"

Hermione looked like she was trying to find words to say to me, as I sat down on my bed, exhausted from my outburst. She got up off of Harry's bed and st down beside me, picking up my hand.

"I'm sorry, Ron. I really am." said Hermione. "I shouldn't have reacted the way I did, but it wasn't because I thought you didn't deserve it, or that you weren't smart or brilliant. It's just that Harry gets a lot handed to him, you know that. With the things that he has done during school, and with him witnessing You Know Who returning, I figured Dumbledore would for sure pick him. It only came as a shock to me because of that, not entirely because of it being you."

"You're just saying that."

"Ron, I'm not. I'm serious. You're just as good as Harry, and in some cases, you have a bit of a better handle with things. Things that have to do with being a prefect. You're alright with the younger one. They look up to you and listen. You're fair, and when you want to be, very responsible. You sometimes think things through way better than Harry does. And it's fine. Harry knows this, he isn't even that phased that he didn't make it. And...I'm glad that you did."

"Are you really?" I said, looking into her sparkling eyes.

"I am. Although, I see me probably sticking to the rules more than you."

"How about you rule, and I enforce." I said, grinning.

"Unacceptable." she said, moving a fringe of hair out of my face.

"Sorry for yelling at you." I said.

"No, don't apologize. I'm sorry for making you feel like you didn't deserve it. You do. You deserve a lot of things." said Hermione, smiling at me.

I felt like we were having a moment. Every cell in my brain was screaming for me to kiss her. To tell her what I thought she deserved as well.

But, I couldn't do it. My body wouldn't allow me to. And the moment quickly passed.

"I'm going to bed." said Hermione, giving me a quick hug. "Get some rest. We finally feel the sun tomorrow."

"Yeah. I had forgotten what fresh air and natural light was like to have." I said.

Hermione left and I changed into my too small pajamas (my new ones were packed up) and laid down.

I couldn't wait to get back to school.