Chapter 306: "Duties and Amusements"

Their laughter still echoing behind them, Harry and his friends made their way through the bustling corridor of the Hogwarts Express, weaving through clusters of students who parted with murmurs of respect or curious stares. Some offered shy greetings to the new Head Boy and Head Girl, while others gawked at Harry as if expecting him to sprout wings.

Elvinia, with her chin tilted in quiet pride, handled the attention with grace. Harry, accustomed to the curious gazes, simply smiled and waved calmly at everyone.

"I could get used to this," Reggy declared, strutting alongside his sister. "Being part of the entourage has its perks."

Roger rolled his eyes. "Why are you even with us? Shouldn't you be back in the compartment holding it for us?"

Reggy grinned. "That would be lonely. And as the brother of the Head Girl and friend to so many prefects, I think I deserve a few perks."

"Enjoy it while it lasts," Elvinia said dryly. "This is definitely a one-time thing."

Arabella smirked. "Don't feel sorry for him, Elvinia. He'd probably rather be alone with his books anyway. That's what he does whenever we are alone."

Reggy groaned. "I did that once, Bella. Once. Are you ever going to let it go?"

The group burst into laughter, Reggy's mock indignation only adding to the humor.

As they approached the prefects' compartment, Harry glanced at his friends. "So, who are the new prefects this year?" he asked, half-laughing. "I've been so busy I haven't kept track."

"Let's see," Cedric began, counting on his fingers. "Gryffindor's got Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley."

"Ron?" Harry repeated, raising an eyebrow. "Seriously? Over Charles or Neville?"

Roger snorted. "I know, right? Granger makes sense—Miss Perfect Marks and all—but Weasley? That's… unexpected."

Arabella nodded. "Yeah, everyone thought it'd be Charles or Longbottom. Apparently, the professors had quite the debate about it."

Alicia chuckled. "Your brother must be fuming that Ron got the badge over him. Knowing Charles's pride, he's probably livid."

Harry gave a dry laugh. "If he's angry, he can take it up with the headmaster. I'm pretty sure Dumbledore's behind the decision. There's no way the other professors would've voted for Ron. Any other fifth-year Gryffindor would've made more sense."

Harry couldn't shake the feeling that this was part of Dumbledore's grand plan. Perhaps, as he'd speculated, Dumbledore intended to start those "history lessons" about Voldemort with Charles this year, and being a prefect would interfere. As for Neville, Harry suspected it was petty revenge—just like when Dumbledore initially withheld the Head Boy badge from him. Perhaps it was Dumbledore's way of lashing out at Neville's parents for leaving the Order of the Phoenix with Harry and Sirius.

"Moving on," Roger said, steering the conversation away, "Ravenclaw's got Anthony Goldstein and Padma Patil. Solid picks, I'd say."

"Hufflepuff's got Ernie Macmillan and Susan Bones," Arabella added.

Harry grinned. "I knew about Susan. She couldn't stop smiling this summer after she got the badge. Wore it everywhere."

Cedric nodded. "Susan's a great choice. She's already friends with most of the younger Hufflepuffs—they'll follow her lead without hesitation."

"And Slytherin?" Angelina prompted.

"Pansy Parkinson and Blaise Zabini," Arabella said, wrinkling her nose. "Draco Malfoy got overlooked. Apparently, he's changed a lot since his father's death—quieter, more subdued. His mother's been keeping him away from the darker families."

Harry nodded thoughtfully. "Arcturus asked me to keep an eye on him. If any Slytherins try to bully him, let me know. I'll deal with it."

Arabella smiled. "Sure thing."

The group paused outside the prefects' compartment door. Elvinia smoothed her robes, exuding calm confidence, and looked at Harry. "Ready?"

Harry grinned. "Always. Let's give them a show."

As they entered, the gathered prefects—some anxious, some bored, others eager to impress—turned their attention toward the new Head Boy and Girl. Elvinia strode forward with flawless poise, her head held high, while Harry followed at her shoulder, offering a nod and a friendly half-smile.

Harry caught Susan Bones's eye as they walked in, and she greeted him with a playful smirk. "Head Boy Potter," she said with mock formality.

Harry quirked a brow, his tone teasing. "Hello, Prefect Bones. Why does your badge look worn already? This is supposed to be your first time wearing it."

Susan's smile froze for a moment before she huffed in mock anger, retreating to the corner. Harry chuckled softly at her reaction.

Hermione Granger stepped forward, her bright eyes shining with excitement. "Head Boy, Head Girl! I've prepared some notes on how we can improve inter-house cooperation and—"

Her words were cut off by a loud clatter as Ron Weasley, trying to follow her, tripped over a trunk in the aisle and nearly fell flat on his face. "Oops—uh, sorry!" he mumbled, his face flushing red as scattered laughter filled the room.

Hermione turned on him with a scandalized glare. "Ron! Watch where you're going!"

"It's not my fault the trunk's in the way," Ron muttered, attempting to salvage his dignity.

Harry and Elvinia exchanged amused glances, while Arabella covered her grin behind a hand.

"Welcome, everyone," Elvinia began, her voice calm and authoritative. "As your Head Girl, I'd like to thank you all for your dedication. This year will undoubtedly present challenges, and we'll need cooperation and understanding to navigate them."

Her speech, concise and polished, set a respectful tone for the meeting. Harry nodded approvingly, stepping in as Elvinia paused. "I'll echo the Head Girl's sentiments. We're counting on you to maintain standards and help younger students. Oh, and let's try to keep the corridors free of runaway trunks, shall we?"

Laughter rippled through the room, light and warm.

Hermione, cheeks pink with enthusiasm, raised her hand. "I have some ideas for promoting inter-house unity. I propose weekly inter-house study sessions—"

"Study sessions?" Ron blurted out, looking horrified. "We don't want to scare the first-years off on their first week, do we?"

Quiet snickers erupted from the prefects, but Hermione merely folded her arms. "Knowledge is never scary, Ron."

"To each their own," Harry interjected diplomatically, cutting off what he knew would become a long argument. "Miss Granger, draft a proper plan and submit it to the… suggestion box. We'll review it and let you know."

Elvinia gracefully raised a hand to regain control of the room. "We have standard announcements to get through—curfew checks, patrolling schedules, and handling minor infractions. Let's address those efficiently."

Harry conjured a parchment with a flick of his wand. "We'll rotate night patrols fairly to avoid overburdening anyone with the worst shifts. If you notice unusual incidents, report them discreetly. Remember, this is Hogwarts—there's always some danger lurking. Don't play the hero; leave that to the professionals."

The prefects nodded gravely, taking the warning to heart.

The meeting progressed smoothly, with Elvinia handling logistics with her signature composure while Harry lightened the mood with occasional quips. By the end, most of the prefects seemed more comfortable and even intrigued by their new leaders.

Not everything went smoothly, though.

"Warrington," Elvinia announced, "you'll patrol the third-floor corridor on Thursdays."

The burly Slytherin seventh-year scowled. "You can't order me around, Potter, Whitlock. Head Boy and Girl or not."

Harry's smile remained pleasant, but his eyes glinted dangerously. "Really, Warrington? You want to go down this road?"

Warrington shifted uncomfortably, clearly remembering Harry's reputation, but stubborn pride made him press on. "You won't be Head Boy forever, Potter. Things are changing."

"Oh, is that so?" Harry asked, his tone almost amused. "Let me guess—counting on our new Defense professor to shake things up?"

"We'll see," Warrington muttered.

Harry's smile widened. "Indeed, we will. But until then, you'll follow orders. Unless…" His voice turned almost cheerful. "You'd like a reminder of what happens to troublemakers? Sirius taught me some fascinating spells. Right, Susan?"

Susan nodded solemnly, though her eyes sparkled with laughter. "The portraits still haven't recovered."

Warrington paled at the memory of those infamous pranks and relented grudgingly. "Fine."

"Excellent choice," Harry said brightly, moving on as if nothing had happened.

"Any final questions?" Elvinia asked, surveying the room.

Ron raised his hand, his face reddening. "Er… what if we find students doing… you know…" He gestured vaguely, his ears turning scarlet. "Stuff?"

"Very articulate, Weasley," Zabini drawled.

"The protocol is to call a professor," Elvinia answered crisply. "They'll handle it."

Harry looked around the room. "If there are no more questions, you're dismissed. Remember your duties tonight—I don't want to hear about stranded first-years or forgotten passwords. I can't take points from you for slacking, but there are some prank spells I'm eager to test. Don't tempt me."

Roger grinned. "My money's on Weasley volunteering as a test subject. He's got the experience with his brothers."

"Not a chance," Ron shot back quickly. "I'll do my job."

With that, the meeting concluded.

"That wasn't so bad," Elvinia remarked as they left. "Though Granger's enthusiasm is… intense."

"Just wait until she realizes there's no suggestion box," Harry replied with a grin.

They made their way back to their compartment. As soon as they entered, everyone sank into their seats, savoring a brief moment of peace before duty called again.

"Ten minutes until patrols start," Cedric announced, glancing at his watch.

Elvinia straightened, already slipping back into Head Girl mode. "We don't want to set a bad example. Everyone up."

"And here I thought being friends with the Head Boy and Girl would earn us a little leniency," Roger sighed dramatically, though he was already rising to his feet.

One by one, the group filed out of the compartment, scattering throughout the train to begin their patrols. Harry moved down the corridor, checking in on excited first-years and keeping rowdy seniors in line. He offered calm smiles, reassured nervous students, and reminded a group of older Ravenclaws that levitating luggage wasn't a sport.As he walked, Harry couldn't help but wonder if the Head Boy's private room was worth all this effort.

Dismissing Harry's private grumbling about patrol duties, the Hogwarts Express sped northward, steam billowing into the afternoon sky, carrying its passengers ever closer to a year that promised both challenges and triumphs.