Harry Potter and the Secret Treasures

Chapter 898: The Prefect

“I don’t think he’ll be able to, Ron,” said Mrs. Weasley, setting a huge plate of roast chicken down in front of Harry. “He’s really very busy at the moment, but Arthur told me Kingsley was coming tonight. Remus and others are also here, we can have a small celebration.”

Busyness was still the norm of the Order of the Phoenix, and in the next few days, everyone who came here would be in a hurry.

Even Bill had been assigned a task and had no way to help make the broom.

In fact, Harry soon discovered that living at the headquarters of the Anti-Voldemort movement was not nearly as interesting or exciting as he would have expected.

Though members of the Order of the Phoenix came and went regularly, sometimes staying for meals, sometimes only for a few minutes’ whispered conversation, Mrs. Weasley made sure that Harry and the others were kept well out of earshot.

Public opinion from the outside world was also calm. After a big setback in the trial, Fudge suddenly became quiet.

He seemed to have finally understood that the more he did, the more mistakes he made, or a new conspiracy was brewing.

In a word, Fudge was back to the old way. He began to slander Dumbledore, Evan and Harry as much as possible, trying to discredit them; but this time the media was no longer all one-sided articles.

Evan’s review was full of bad comments about Fudge, which attracted a large number of readers.

It was true that, compared to Fudge, ordinary people in the wizarding world seemed more willing to believe in Dumbledore. But Voldemort’s resurrection was an exception, and no one wanted to believe it.

They thought Dumbledore might be old and confused, but Fudge was actually worse than him…

As Lupin told Evan, why Fudge had won in the election was not how well he’d performed, but his competitors were worse than him. This was actually a game to compare who was worse than whom. That was the essence of the campaign.

They didn’t have to worry about these things. Under Evan’s guidance, they were at ease to make black, thick and big broomsticks.

Hermione and Ginny had already drawn the design, but there were still many difficulties in turning it into a real object.

Besides, Evan was still sorting out the fighting skills and spells that should be taught to them.

He found that apart from himself and Hermione, no one else could even master the common dueling spells and had to help them learn the basics.

Harry and the Weasleys were pretty good. Many adult wizards might not even be able to use the Shield Charm.

This sounded funny, but it was true…

As for training according to the Auror’s method, they were still a long way off, and they would have to wait a while before they could start.

In this way, time flew to the very last day of the holidays.

Evan had been drawing runes on the parchment and designing the broom sensor. This was the most difficult part. Next to him, Harry was sweeping up Hedwig’s owl droppings from the top of the wardrobe when Ron entered their bedroom carrying three envelopes.

“Booklists have arrived,” he said, throwing two of the envelopes to Evan and Harry.  “I was downstairs with Ginny just now, and a group of owls rushed in. About time, I thought they’d forgotten, they usually come much earlier than this!”

Evan was going to be in fourth year at the beginning of the new term. He opened his letter: It contained two pieces of parchment, one the usual reminder that term started on the first of September, the other telling him which books he would need for the coming year.

Apart from the normal items, there was nothing new, only the Defence Against the Dark Arts class needed new teaching materials.

It was obvious that each new Defense Against the Dark Arts class had a different textbook assigned by the professor.

“Only two new books,” Harry said, reading his list, “The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 5, by Miranda Goshawk and Defensive Magical Theory, by Wilbert Slinkhard.”

Crack.

Fred and George Apparated right beside them.

“We were just wondering who assigned the Slinkhard book,” said Fred conversationally.

“Because it means Dumbledore’s found a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher,” said George.

“And about time too,” said Fred.

“What do you mean?” Harry asked suspiciously, jumping down beside them.

“Well, we overheard Mum and Dad talking on the Extendable Ears a few weeks back,” Fred said, “and from what they were saying, Dumbledore was having real trouble finding anyone to do the job this year.”

“Not surprising, is it, when you look at what’s happened to the last five?” said George.

“One sacked, one forced to resign, one dead, one’s memory removed, and one locked in a trunk for more than half a year,” said Harry, counting them off on his fingers. “Yeah, I see what you mean.”

This position had been cursed by Voldemort, and whoever took over was unlucky. It was Umbridge’s turn this year.

“Yes, no one dares to accept this position, and I don’t know who is so bold,” Fred said, leaning over to Evan, “Evan, have you designed your sensor? I can’t wait to try my new broomstick!”

“It’ll take a while; I still have to think about some things,” said Evan.

“Just design it before the game starts,” George said, “Hey, Ron, what’s up with you?”

Ron did not answer. The others looked around.

Ron was standing very still with his mouth slightly open, gaping at his letter from Hogwarts.

“What’s the matter?” said Fred impatiently, moving around Ron to look over his shoulder at the parchment.

Fred’s mouth fell open too.

“Prefect?” he said, staring incredulously at the letter. “Prefect?!”

George leapt forward, seized the envelope in Ron’s other hand, and turned it upside down. Something scarlet and gold fell into his palm.

He was immediately excited, his eyes widening.

“No way,” said George in a hushed voice.

“There’s been a mistake,” said Fred, snatching the letter out of Ron’s grasp and holding it up to the light as though checking for a watermark. “No one in their right mind would make Ron a prefect…”

The twins’ heads turned in unison and both of them stared at Harry.

“We thought you were a cert!” said Fred in a tone that suggested Harry had tricked them in some way.

“Yeah, we thought Dumbledore was bound to pick you!” said George indignantly.

“Yeah, you’ve done so many things!” said Fred.

“Ron is not bad either. He’s been the school champion last term!” said Evan as Ron’s letter reached him.

He saw Ron still immersed in the shocking news and did not react.

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