The woman in question knew exactly what Dumbledore had been thinking, but there had never been any danger of her taking on the Head of Slytherin role, even only on a temporary basis. If the number of complaints being written out were anything to go by, she would be given her High Inquisitor position by the end of the month. She and the Minister had gone through this meticulously and she could not afford to appear to show favouritism to one group over any other, be it their school house, their age or the purity of their blood. That Madam Marchbanks and Madam Bones had also made that point quite clear ensured that she kept well clear of associating herself with any one group of students.
Madam Longbottom returned to the Headmaster's podium and announced that Professor Sinistra had just been temporarily appointed to the position of Head of Slytherin House.
This was met with a round of applause from the students, getting a blush out of the normally quiet Professor Sinistra, before they all went back to their scribbling.
"You done yet?" asked Ron of a third year Gryffindor. When the girl shook her head, Ron went to the next student and asked the same question.
Hermione rolled her eyes behind his back and then crouched down beside the third year and asked "Anything you need a hand with?"
The girl blushed and bit her lip before turning her head to make sure that Ron had moved out of earshot. Once she had found that the coast was clear she turned back to Hermione and said "Actually, I was going to make a complaint about him."
"Oh?" asked Hermione, suddenly feeling rather torn.
The girl nodded and said "He's not being very helpful right now, and yesterday I saw him call a first year a midget before telling him to shove off so that he could have the good armchair by the fire."
"Did he?" said Hermione, leaning to the side so that she could look at Ron who was standing further along the row looking utterly bored and ignoring a second year Ravenclaw who had her hand in the air.
Since they had gotten their badges over the summer, Hermione had tried so hard to drum into Ron's skull that there was a certain level of responsibility that came with their new positions, but it clearly had not worked. She was honest enough that Ron just saw the position as the chance to lord it over other students; he had little intention of doing the actual work involved. Maybe this would be what he needed to get his act together…
She thought for a moment longer before saying "Midget is spelt with a "dg" not a "j"."
The girl nodded happily and began writing.
The bell signalling the end of the lunch hour and the start of the afternoon lessons rang out loud and clear and all the students paused before looking to Harry.
Without even looking at the staff table Harry said "Well, classes have been disrupted all morning, one more lesson really isn't going to hurt. Keep going make sure you put everything down."
They all continued.
"Look at him," whispered Sarah Abbott to Amelia Bones, having moved to be near her friend when Harry was mobbed "he's a natural leader."
Amelia nodded and replied "You'll never guess what I found him doing in the Great Hall this morning."
"What?"
"Teaching."
"No way,"
"Yes way. The impromptu study period for all those whose lessons were being disrupted by the questioning wasn't going too well, so Harry got up and had them all practicing shield charms."
"Even the older ones?"
"They were the ones working the hardest. Couldn't have a fifth year doing something they weren't able to do."
"Blimey. Lily would be so proud!"
They continued going until the bell for the end of the first afternoon lesson rang out.
"Alright everyone," said Harry "We're really going to have to call it there. If you think of anything else then please come and see me when you can. In the meantime please put your written complaints into the boxes if you haven't already, and get to your next lessons."
The students began packing up their things, feeding the last few pieces of parchment into the boxes and making their way out of the hall.
Once they were gone the prefects approached Harry and they made a pile of the boxes.
"Good work all of you," said Harry.
Most of them replied with thanks for the compliment and began filing out of the hall.
Hermione was the last one to place her box down, and Harry decided that he really needed to crack the ice with her a little. He might not consider her a friend anymore, but with her being a prefect he was going to have to work with her.
"So, did you fill out a list of your own complaints?" he asked.
.....
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