Head Duties

One

Head boy. Honestly, I couldn't believe it. I knew I was a shoo-in— good grades, strong lineage—but I still thought it'd be someone else. Someone more deserving.

"Ah, Mr. Malfoy." The disgust in her voice was familiar. Something I've grown far too accustomed to, but I didn't know how to fix it. "If you'll just follow me, the head dormitory is right this way."

I followed her, yet I didn't recognize her from previous years. I guess the war does that, replace people that is. I don't even know how many faces I won't see this year. The number is countless.

"I didn't realize we had our own rooms." I looked at the portraits on the wall. They glared at me with knowing looks, yet I didn't recognize a single face. I hadn't been down this hall before.

"Yes well, your duties will be a little different this year. As you must have realized, most of your usual duties will be handled by adults, professionals. Your job is to be the good student others should aspire to be." She glanced back at me. "You look like an adult to me though," her gaze flickered to the dark mark that still plastered my arm "and obviously you are a professional wizard if you fought in that war and survived."

"Surviving doesn't make me a professional, ma'am. Many survivors are cowards. Running away or hiding doesn't mean much."

"Ah, you say that, but I know you, even if you do not know me." She spun and stopped suddenly pointing at me, "I don't like you, I don't like your family." She dropped her hand but stared deep into my face. "The side you choose to support killed my sister. Yet even I can see while you were taught to be foul, learned to be evil, on the inside, you are still good." She turned away. "It still doesn't mean I like you, but" she glanced back, "you're as good a hero as any. Besides, you're a leader. People will follow you, whether you like it or not. That's what we need, a good example for others to follow." She started moving again as quickly as she'd stopped. A corner or two later we came to stand in front of a blank wall. "Place your hand up there."

I hesitated but did as she said and the bricks began to move. "Much like the Leaky Cauldron. Ever been through there?"

"No." She said, curtly.

"Ah, well I wouldn't necessarily recommend it."

She turned on her heel to leave, "Wait!" She spun again but made no advance towards me, just quirked an eyebrow in question. "Is that it? Don't I have any instructions for today? Anything I need to do- as head boy?"

"None at all. Just show up to class on time tomorrow- the first dinner will be different this year. It's to be held in each dormitory individually. To help the students cope. There were a lot of souls lost, we're worried, having everyone in the great hall will just bring about too many emotions."

"But emotions aren't a bad thing. Our brothers and sisters were murdered." Impossibly so, her eyebrow rose even higher.

"Yes, Mr. Malfoy they were. Some by your other brothers and sisters. Do you suppose having the whole school, both those who were hurt and those who did the hurting, in one place a good idea? If separated by their house these kids have their family- their close peers to lean on. No one knows you better than your own house." I nodded. I hadn't meant to argue, I was just curious.

"Thank you for showing me my room."

"I'm sure the head girl will be up soon if she's not in there already, goodnight Mr. Malfoy." And with that, she was gone. I hadn't realized the room was shared between the head girl and boy, but I guess the woman did say dormitory.

I walked into my new home. My only home I suppose what with my parents.

"Malfoy?" I looked to my left and saw her standing there in the kitchen.

"Yeah. Hey Granger." When I received the letter that I was chosen for head boy, I wasn't the least bit surprised her name was listed there as well.

"Hey." She gave me a sad smile and I was relieved to see it. A year ago we were enemies, and I was rightfully fearful of what that might mean as we tried to work together as peers. I don't know what this smile meant to her, but I saw understanding in the gesture, and that's all I could ask for. I nodded back and gave a small smile in return.

"You moved in and everything already? Where are our rooms?"

"Right over here," she receded further into the kitchen and I followed. There was a hallway from the kitchen leading to what I assumed to be our rooms. There was a door on either side, directly across from each other. "The one on the left is yours, that's mine obviously" she pointed to the door on the right. "The bathroom is in the middle, it's shared." She started back towards the kitchen, "I'm making a small snack before dinner if you want some."

"Thanks, I'll just unpack and be out in a minute." She nodded and I opened my door.

The room was nice, it had a large window nook in the corner to the left and what looked to be a queen size bed to the right. There was a large wardrobe on the wall that touched the hallway. Next to it was a door I assumed to be the bathroom. I flicked my wand at my trunk and everything found its place within a matter of seconds. I'm not sure how Granger was ever not a wizard, I couldn't do it.

Lastly, I changed the colors of the room from the sad neutrals to something more me.