INSTEAD, james potter [1]

Chapter Seven

Whether Lyra was excited or scared for her fifth year at Hogwarts, she simply didn't know. There had been stories that fifth year was the year you really start to grow up, both socially and academically. Lyra felt stressed enough about school already, she didn't need to stress any more. Adding the fact that she was a prefect, she was prepared for at least one mental breakdown a week. 

She adjusted her green prefect badge, making sure it was nice and straight before she entered the prefect's carriage for the meeting. As far as she knew, it would mostly be about their scheduels from patrols and information about the duties and powers of a prefect. It was also an opportunity to get to know their Head Boy and Head Girl, as well as their fellow prefects. 

Lyra opened the door and smiled brightly at the ones who had arrived. She was a few minutes early, and the rest of the prefects were right behind her, ready to enter. She greeted the Head Boy, Winkus Oddpick from Ravenclaw, and Head Girl, Mathilda Grindlehawk from Hufflepuff.

The new fifth year prefects were all looking at each other, realizing who else in their year had been made prefects. Lyra was a bit surprised to see that her fellow fifth year prefect was Evan Rosier, not knowing what he could have done for the professors to consider him prefect material. 

She shrugged it off as she noted who were the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff prefects, none of whom she knew particularly well. The selections for Gryffindor weren't very surprising either. Remus Lupin and Lily Evans proudly wore the badge of honor, ready to make Hogwarts a better place. 

Mathilda grinned at the group of fifth, sixth and seventh years in front of her. "Well, I suppose we should welcome you lot to a year of prefects. For most of you, this should be a routine. But we have our little fifth years who still need a bit of obedience training."

The crowd of prefects laughed at the Head Girl's humor. Winkus then decided to take over. "Well, I'm Winkus Oddpick and this iss Mathilda Grindlehawk and we're this year's Head Boy and Head Girl."

The male seventh year Ravenclaw prefect wolf-whistled and then laughed, obviously being friends with the Head Boy. Winkus rolled his eyes but grinned widely. "This year's patrol schedules are going to be handed out shortly. You all will have two patrol partners, one from your own house, and one from a different one."

Mathilda started handing out the parchment, giving a small smile to each of her prefects. Lyra wasn't surprised she was made Head Girl when she was as sweet as she was. She whispered a thanks as she got her own schedule. 

She was on first watch for patrolling the train on the way to Hogwarts, which she luckily wasn't doing with Evan Rosier, hoping to avoid him as much as possible. The patrol partner from another house, though, happened to be Remus Lupin, who she would be patrolling the train with, as well as patrolling together that night. 

The two exchanged quick, uncomfortable glances. Neither of them had really talked much, only a tiny bit during the brief period she was helping his friends with not becoming half-human, half-animal hybrids. 

Evan turned to her, smiling in a creepy way she didn't like. "We're patrolling together once a week. Guess that means we'll be spending a lot of time together this year, and the next two, probably."

Lyra wanted to barf. 

"Yeah, I suppose," she answered, refusing to meet his eyes. She worried that even eye-contact would be enough for him to think she was interested in him. Dealing with his constant staring over the years had been enough, but now she would have to talk to him, too.  

Remus caught Lyra's eye, raising an eyebrow, but she only looked away. She supposed there were just two more things to add to the list of how fifth year would definitely be interesting, if nothing else.