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They had been doing this for so many years now and knew each other so well, that their meetings were almost always efficient and brief. Minerva knew that her mentor held the highest of confidence in her abilities, and was grateful for the fact. After all, due to his commitments with the Wizengamot and the ICW, it seemed as though Dumbledore was absent from the school as much as he was present. Minerva was the Headmistress in all but name for much of the year.
This particular meeting began no differently than any other time they had met during the past decade. Minerva made her report of the incoming first year students—particularly the Muggleborn students, as it was part of her duty to deliver their acceptance letters and explain the new world in which they would soon find themselves.
They had made it a practice over the years to discuss the new students, and amuse themselves by guessing into which houses they would be sorted, almost making a game it. Some were easy—Draco Malfoy, for example had been unlikely in the extreme to have been sorted into any other house other than Slytherin. Privately, Minerva thought the lad's destiny in Slytherin was due to his complete lack of loyalty to anyone other than himself (and perhaps his father, who invariably came up in just about any conversation with him), his less than stellar intellect, and the fact that he was a bully, and therefore a complete coward. It was the ones who could end up in multiple houses who were the most interesting to guess. And then there were those surprises such as Miss Granger, who no one thought would end up in Gryffindor.
"I do have one question, Albus," Minerva remarked after their conversation regarding the new students wound down.
"Please, Minerva," Dumbledore responded, leaning back in his chair.
"Miss Delacour. She will be attending Hogwarts this year, but what do you mean to do with her? Will you just place her in Gryffindor, or will you let the hat decide?"
Dumbledore appeared to contemplate the matter for several moments before responding. "Though it would be less than ideal to place her in a house without her betrothed, I think we shall have her wear the hat anyway. I suspect she will be placed in Gryffindor anyway, given what I know of her, so it should not matter."
Minerva nodded. "I remember the second task last year. It was clear she was terrified—understandable, given her nature—but she competed in defiance of her fears, the outcome notwithstanding."
"Exactly," rumbled Dumbledore. "If the hat does place her in another house, we will have to make a decision then. There is one house for which she would not be suited at all, not that I believe the hat would place her there."
A grimace of distaste met his declaration. "She'd be in physical danger in Slytherin, Albus—you know this. Even many of those whose families' are not associated with the Death Eaters would consider her a freak and a plaything."
"Quite," confirmed the Headmaster. "She is not without ambition, but it is not her defining trait, so I think the odds of that happening are very low in any case. But though she is intelligent, I do not think that Ravenclaw would suit her either. Of course Gryffindor would be best, though Hufflepuff would perhaps work for her as well."
McGonagall smiled and nodded. This conversation was likely academic anyway—she was almost certain to be sorted into Gryffindor.
"Bring her to my office before the feast, we can sort her in private," Dumbledore instructed. "There is no reason to subject her to a sorting in front of the entire school along with the first years."
McGonagall expressed her agreement, before the Headmaster moved onto another topic.
"And what of your choices for Gryffindor prefect?"
"Yes, of course," McGonagall responded. Rarely had the choices for prefect been so obvious to her—in fact, Dumbledore likely already knew who she would choose, as well as she did herself.
"As neither of the head students this year are from Gryffindor, and my sixth and seventh year prefects performed their duties well last year, I will not be replacing any of them. As for fifth year, I don't think I've ever had such an easy decision in all my time at Hogwarts. The prefects will be Hermione Granger and Harry Potter."
Dumbledore was silent for several moments, stroking his beard as if in thought. McGonagall wondered at his unusual behavior—Miss Granger could not be disputed, and as the Headmaster took such pride in Mr. Potter's accomplishments, she was surprised he had not immediately agreed with her choices.
"Yes, Minerva, excellent choices indeed," he said at last. "However, do you not think that perhaps the fifth year prefect position should be offered to young Mr. Weasley instead of Mr. Potter?"
Nonplused at the Headmaster's words, it was all Minerva could do to keep her countenance. Dumbledore had never taken any overt interest in her choices in the past except to approve them. What possible reason could he have for objecting to the choice of Harry for prefect, especially given how she knew he personally felt for the boy?
Still, Dumbledore was nothing if not thoughtful and intelligent, and Minerva knew he would not suggest such a thing for no good reason. She opened her mouth to agree with him, when she considered his suggestion once again, and thought of the possible ramifications of the posting he was suggesting. No, she could not possibly agree with him without some sort of indication as to why he thought Harry should be passed over.
"I'm sorry, Headmaster, but why do you believe Mr. Potter is unsuited for the position?"
"Not unsuited, Minerva," Dumbledore responded. "I have the highest confidence in Harry's abilities, as you well know. I am merely concerned about his state of mind and the many things he has to deal with. Perhaps the position of prefect would be too much for him to handle, under the circumstances."
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