This Must Be Another Test of Friendship and Love

"Where's your badge, Ivan?" Hermione asked Ivan, putting the prefect's badge away.

"I don't know. I didn't receive any similar letters. Perhaps Professor Dumbledore intended to make someone else a prefect…" Ivan said hesitantly, shaking his head.

"That's impossible. Prefects are usually the best of the fifth year!" Hermione exclaimed.

"You were awarded the Order of Merlin in the First Class, defeated the champions of Beauxbatons and Durmstrang last year, and won the Triwizard Cup for Hogwarts. There is no better student in the whole school…"

The witch went on and on about Ivan's achievements, and then speculated that the owl that brought him the letter might have been delayed because it couldn't find the place.

This speculation seemed highly likely to Hermione, as Ivan's whereabouts during the summer holidays were so mysterious that she had to wait several days for an answer to her letters.

Harry, George, and Fred nodded in agreement with Hermione's guess.

Just as everyone was thinking this, a voice suddenly sounded.

"I…I have the letter…"

Puzzled, they turned to see that it was Ron who had spoken. He slowly put his hand into the pocket of his wizard robes and took out a crumpled letter and a gold and red badge.

"Why do you have these letters, Ronnie boy? Did you send them both because the owl couldn't find Ivan? Why didn't you tell us earlier?" George asked curiously as he took both of them.

"No, no, this letter is for me!" Ron stammered, his face flushed.

George was taken aback, thinking that Ron was joking, but when he glanced at the letter in his hand, he was surprised to see Ron's name at the end.

"Oh my God, how is this possible! Ronnie's going to be a prefect?" George exclaimed, his eyes widening as he held the envelope high in the light, as if to check its authenticity.

"You've got to be kidding me, George!" Fred exclaimed as he snatched the letter out of George's hand.

"Impossible. Professor McGonagall must be mistaken. Who in their right mind would choose Ron as prefect?"

Harry and the others who were standing around also gathered around to read the letter.

When the envelope reached Mrs Weasley's hands, she let out a shriek of shock and joy, but when she looked at Ivan, her gaze was full of suspicion.

With their hands free, George and Fred also looked at Ron strangely, as if he had just pulled a prank.

Sirius stepped forward and tapped the letter with his wand. After examining it, he said, "This letter shows no signs of having been magically altered, so it can't be a hoax…"

"But why would the professor choose Ronnie Junior as prefect? It's strange," George muttered.

Everyone in the room turned to look at him, and as they did so, Ron's face turned green and then white, and he muttered indignantly, "How should I know? It's probably… it's probably the wrong letter… but it's my name, so how could it be the wrong one?"

"I'm sure this is the right letter. You're going to be a prefect, Ron… congrats!" Yvonne said as she pushed George and the others aside.

"Congratulations?" Ron didn't seem to get it for a moment, his face shifting as he said frantically, "But, I mean… you don't blame me?"

In fact, he was quite surprised himself when he received the prefect's letter of appointment this morning, as Ivan seemed more suitable than he was…

Otherwise, there would be Harry, a Hogwarts champion, who would never get his turn.

It was for this reason that Ron had kept the letter and badge to himself, as he felt he had stolen the prefect's badge…

"Why should I blame you, Ron? I'm not a prefect, and the professors haven't sent me any letters… Perhaps Headmaster Dumbledore thought you'd be better suited to the post." Ivan shrugged and smiled.

He did not understand why Dumbledore chose Ron to be Prefect of Gryffindor, but he believed it was a test of friendship and love…

Ivan was relieved to hear that Dumbledore was in the mood for such convoluted activities. It seemed that this year's Welcoming Feast would not turn into a funeral.

As for the position of Prefect of Gryffindor?

Ivan didn't mind. He was busy this term, not only searching for the Hogwarts magical library, but also practising enchantment. He didn't have time to manage a bunch of reckless, trouble-making Gryffindor lions…

"You're amazing, Ron!" Arthur Weasley exclaimed as he gave him a big hug after Ivan congratulated him, realising how much their questioning would hurt him.

Shortly after, Lupin, Harry, Sirius and the others came to their senses and congratulated him, while Mrs Weasley happily hugged and kissed him.

George and Fred were the only ones who insisted that the letter must have been sent to the wrong person, and that it could have been a practical joke on the part of Headmaster Dumbledore…

Ron ignored their antics, and after being publicly kissed by Mrs Weasley, his face turned red and he struggled to break free. "Come on, Mum, I'm not a child anymore."

"So, what's your reward? When Percy was a prefect, we gave him an owl, but you already have one, so you can choose something else," Mrs Weasley said happily as she released Ron.

"Re…reward?" Ron couldn't believe his ears.

As soon as he was sure he had heard correctly, he started thinking about it.

A brand-new gown? Or a new, rusty cauldron? Or a new broom?

Whine…

Ron's thoughts were interrupted by the sudden roar of a train, and Arthur Weasley, who was standing nearby, glanced at the watch on his wrist and hurried him along.

"Ron, you can think about it at school. There's no time to lose. Get in the car…"

At Arthur's prompting, Ivan and the others said their goodbyes and boarded the train with their suitcases.

Just as they were looking for an empty carriage on the train, they saw three familiar figures walking towards them…

"Hars?" Malfoy, who had been leading the way, did not expect to see Ivan there. He was stunned for a moment, then he stood in the middle of the road.